Boot a SPARC Blade Over the Network

Use the following procedure to boot over the network using the NEM with a SPARC blade server.

1. Add a MAC address-IP-address pair to the /etc/ethers and /etc/hosts files on the boot server.

   This pair enables the boot server to answer RARP calls from the blade for resolving the IP address for the NEM's local MAC address.

2. Add a client script on the boot server to specify which OS should be loaded to the SPARC blade.

   Refer to the installation documentation for the operating system you want to install.

3. After you have configured the boot server, do one of the following:
   • If the SPARC blade is not running Oracle Solaris OS, log on to the console of the SPARC blade, power the blade on, and boot to the OpenBoot ok prompt.
   • If the blade is already running Oracle Solaris OS, type the following in a terminal window to get to the ok prompt:

     sync;sync;halt

4. Determine all the network interfaces available for the blade to use.

   Some of them will be the NEM's ports. For example:

   {0} ok show-nets
   a) /pci@400/pci@2/pci@0/pci@c/network@0
   b) /pci@400/pci@2/pci@0/pci@2/network@0,1
   c) /pci@400/pci@2/pci@0/pci@2/network@0
   d) /pci@400/pci@1/pci@0/pci@c/pci@0/pci@3/network@0
   e) /pci@400/pci@1/pci@0/pci@c/pci@0/pci@2/network@0
   q) NO SELECTION
   Enter Selection, q to quit:

5. Change the directory to the applicable NEM port path.

   Example:

   {0} ok cd /pci@400/pci@1/pci@0/pci@c/pci@0/pci@2/network@0

6. Check its properties:

   {0} ok .properties

   If it is a Sun Blade 6000 Virtualized 40 GbE Network Express Module, the output will resemble the following.

   {0} ok .properties
   assigned-addresses 
                            82400010 00000000 10300000 00000000 00004000 
                           82400018 00000000 10400000 00000000 00100000 
                           82400030 00000000 10500000 00000000 00100000 
   local-mac-address                        00 21 28 c6 fe 9e 
   reg                         00400000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 
                            03400010 00000000 00000000 00000000 00004000 
                            03400018 00000000 00000000 00000000 00100000 
                            02400030 00000000 00000000 00000000 00100000 
   version                         Sun Blade 6000 Virtualized 40GbE NEM FCode 0.92
                           11/05/03
   board-model                        511-1596-03
   model                        SUNW,pcie-sxge
   compatible                        pciex108e,2078.108e.6277.1
                            pciex108e,2078.108e.6277
                            pciex108e,2078.1
                           pciex108e,2078
                            pciexclass,020000
                            pciexclass,0200
   address-bits                         00000030 
   max-frame-size                         00002400 
   network-interface-type     ethernet
   device_type                         network
   name                         network
   fcode-rom-offset                         000010200 
   interrupts                         00000001 
   cache-line-size                         00000010 
   class-code                         00020000 
   subsystem-id                         00006277 
   subsystem-vendor-id     0000108e 
   revision-id                         00000001 
   device-id                         00002078 
   vendor-id                         0000108e 

7. Type device-end, then perform the netboot.

   {0} ok device-end

   {0} ok boot /pci@400/pci@0/pci@9/pci@0/pci@1/network@0

   If DHCP will be used for resolving the IP address at the beginning of the boot process, add dhcp at the end of the boot command, as in the following example:

   {0} ok  boot /pci@400/pci@0/pci@9/pci@0/pci@1/network@0:dhcp

   If successful, output similar to the following is displayed on the blade's console.

   Boot device: /pci@400/pci@0/pci@9/pci@0/pci@1/network@0:dhcp  File and args:
   SunOS Release 5.10 Version Generic_141444-09 64-bit
   Copyright 1983-2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
   Use is subject to license terms.
   NOTICE: sxge1: link up, 10000 Mbps, full duplex
   Configuring devices.
   Using DHCP for network configuration information.
   Reading ZFS config: done.
   Setting up Java. Please wait...
   Serial console, reverting to text install
   Beginning system identification...
   Searching for configuration file(s)...
   Using sysid configuration file /sysidcfg
   Search complete.
   Discovering additional network configuration...
   Completing system identification...
   Starting remote procedure call (RPC) services: done.
   NIS domain name is
   System identification complete.
   Starting Oracle Solaris OS installation program...
   Executing JumpStart preinstall phase...
   Searching for SolStart directory...
   Checking rules.ok file...
   Using begin script: install_begin
   Using finish script: patch_finish
   Executing SolStart preinstall phase...
   Executing begin script "install_begin"...
   Begin script install_begin execution compl 

   The net installation menu is displayed. The Oracle Solaris OS installation program is divided into a series of short sections where you'll be prompted to provide information for the installation. At the end of each section, you can change the selections you've made before continuing.

Related Information

• Set Up the BIOS for Booting From the NEM