Chapter 3 Choosing a Solaris Installation Method (Overview)
This chapter describes the different installation technologies. The Solaris operating environment provides several methods for installation or upgrade. Each installation technology offers different features that are designed for specific installation requirements and environments. Choose the technology that is most appropriate for your environment.
Solaris Web Start Installation Program
The Solaris Web Start installation program on the Solaris DVD or Solaris Installation CD can be run with a graphical user interface (GUI) or with a command–line interface (CLI). The Solaris Web Start program guides you step-by-step through installing or upgrading the Solaris software and additional software. You can install with the default option, or you can use the customize option to install only the software you want.
If you are new to the Solaris operating environment or to UNIX®, the Solaris Web Start program enables you to easily move forward and back during the installation to make changes as necessary. Installation tasks are divided into panels that offer default values for you to select.
Because the Solaris Web Start program prompts you to enter information, you have to interact with the installation program. Consequently, this installation method might not be the most efficient method when you have to install or upgrade several systems. For batch installations of a large number of systems, use custom JumpStart or the Solaris Flash installation feature.
For detailed instructions, refer to Chapter 17, Using the Solaris Web Start Program (Tasks).
Solaris suninstall Program
The Solaris suninstall program on the Solaris Software 1 of 2 CD is run with a command-line interface (CLI). The Solaris suninstall program guides you step-by-step through installing or upgrading to the Solaris 9 software. This installation method is good if you have insufficient memory to run a GUI and are running international locales.
The Solaris suninstall program only installs the Solaris operating environment software. This program does not know of third–party applications or network-downloadable software. You must install third–party applications after you have installed the Solaris operating environment. Also, you are prompted to enter system configuration information during installation, so suninstall is not the most efficient installation method for installing several systems. The Solaris Web Start program enables you to install third-party applications. Or, for batch installations of a large number of systems, use custom JumpStart or the Solaris Flash installation feature.
For detailed instructions, refer to Chapter 18, Using the Solaris suninstall Program (Tasks).
Custom JumpStart Installation Method
The custom JumpStart installation method is a command–line interface that enables you to automatically install or upgrade several systems, based on profiles that you create. The profiles define specific software installation requirements. You can also incorporate shell scripts to include preinstallation and postinstallation tasks. You choose which profile and scripts to use for installation or upgrade. The custom JumpStart installation method then installs or upgrades the system.
If you are familiar with the Solaris operating environment and have multiple systems to install, the custom JumpStart installation method might be the most efficient way for you to install your systems. If you plan to install only a few systems, this installation method is less efficient. The creation of a custom JumpStart environment might be time consuming. If you are unfamiliar with the operating environment or have only a few systems to install, use the Solaris Web Start installation program.
For detailed instructions, refer to Chapter 26, Preparing Custom JumpStart Installations (Tasks).
Solaris Flash Installation Feature
The Solaris Flash installation feature allows you to install many systems, based on a configuration that you install on a master system. After you install and configure the master system, you create a Solaris Flash archive from the master system. You can create as many Solaris Flash archives as you need. You choose which Solaris Flash archive to install on each different system. This installation method enables you to efficiently install many systems with the same software and configuration.
When you use any of the Solaris installation methods and you do not select to install a Solaris Flash archive, the installation method installs each Solaris package individually. The package-based installation method is time consuming because the installation method must update the package map for each package. Solaris Flash archives install on your system much faster than when you install each of the individual Solaris packages.
Each of the Solaris installation methods enables you to replicate an initial installation of a Solaris Flash archive. The Solaris Web Start installation method and the Solaris suninstall program prompt you to select the Solaris Flash archive that you want to install. If you are performing a custom JumpStart installation, you specify the Solaris Flash archive that you want to install in the profile file. If you are performing a Solaris Live Upgrade, you specify the Solaris Flash archive that you want to install on the inactive boot environment.
If you want to update a previously installed clone system, you can install small changes with a differential archive. The differential archive installs archives that contain only the differences between two system images. You can install a differential archive by using the custom JumpStart installation method or Solaris Live Upgrade.
If you have many different configurations that you want to install on your systems, you need a Solaris Flash archive for each system. Solaris Flash archives are large files and require a significant amount of disk space. If you have many different installation configurations or if you want the flexibility to change your installation configuration, you might consider using the custom JumpStart installation method. Alternatively, you can accomplish system-specific customizations by using a JumpStart finish script or an embedded Flash postdeployment script.
For an overview of Solaris Flash installation features, including installing an archive with an initial installation or an update and using scripts, see Chapter 20, Solaris Flash (Overview and Planning).
For detailed instructions on installing an archive with custom JumpStart, see To Prepare to Install a Solaris Flash Archive With a Custom JumpStart Installation.
WAN Boot Installation Method
The WAN boot installation method enables you to boot and install software over a wide area network (WAN) by using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). You can use WAN boot to install the Solaris operating environment on systems over the Internet or other large public data networks whose network infrastructure might be untrustworthy. You can use different security features to protect data confidentiality and installation image integrity.
The WAN boot installation method enables you to transmit an encrypted Solaris Flash archive over a public network and perform a custom JumpStart installation on a remote client. To protect the integrity of the installation, you can use private keys to authenticate and encrypt data. You can also transmit your installation data and files over a secure HTTP connection by configuring your systems to use digital certificates.
For overview information and detailed instructions about the WAN boot installation method, see Chapter 40, Installing Over a Wide Area Network With WAN Boot (Topics).
Solaris Live Upgrade Method
Upgrading with Solaris Live Upgrade enables a duplicate boot environment to be upgraded while the active boot environment is still running, thus eliminating downtime of the production environment. Solaris Live Upgrade can be run with a CUI or CLI. You first create a duplicate boot environment. After a duplicate boot environment is created, you can upgrade the boot environment. You can also install a Solaris Flash archive or differential archive on the inactive boot environment. When you are ready, you activate the inactive boot environment and at the next reboot, the inactive boot environment is switched to become the active boot environment. If a failure occurs, you can recover your original boot environment with a simple activate and reboot.
For a detailed overview and instructions, refer to Chapter 32, Solaris Live Upgrade (Topics).
SPARC: Factory JumpStart Installation Method
The JumpStart installation method automatically installs the Solaris software on a new SPARC system when you insert the Solaris DVD or Solaris Software 1 of 2 CD into the drive and turn on the system. A default profile is selected that is based on the model and disk size of the system. The profile determines which software components are installed on the system. You are not prompted for system configuration information and you cannot choose which software is installed.
A JumpStart boot image, which is required to use this installation method, is preinstalled on all new SPARC based systems. If you have an older SPARC based system, you can add the JumpStart installation method to the system by using the re-preinstall(1M) command. You cannot use the JumpStart installation method on x86 based systems.
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