Installation Group Package Types and Usage

The following three group packages are used by the Oracle Solaris 11 installers:

• group/system/solaris-large-server

  Both the text installer and the default Automated Installer (AI) manifest in an automated client installation install the group/system/solaris-large-server (or solaris-large-server) group package. The solaris-large-server group package contains all of the common network services that an enterprise server must provide. This group package also contains hardware drivers that are required for servers, such as InfiniBand drivers.

• group/system/solaris-small-server

  The default installation manifest for non-global zones installs the group/system/solaris-small-server (or solaris-small-server) group package. The solaris-small-server group package is also an alternative you can use to install a smaller set of packages on a server. Some of the tools installed by solaris-large-server that are not installed by solaris-small-server include the following:

  • make command

  • top command

  • Some GNU utilities, including the GNU version of the tar command

  • CD and DVD writing tools

  • Dynamic reconfiguration

  For a complete list, consult the solaris-small-server entries in Chapter 2, Packages Installed by Group Packages for SPARC Based Systems or Chapter 3, Packages Installed by Group Packages for x86 Based Systems.

• group/system/solaris-desktop

  The Oracle Solaris 11 GUI installer installs the group/system/solaris-desktop (or solaris-desktop) group package. This group package contains the GNOME desktop environment and other GUI applications such as web browsers and mail clients. Drivers for graphics and audio devices are also included.

See Adding and Updating Oracle Solaris 11.1 Software Packages for information about how to find and install packages that are not in these group packages, and how to avoid installing some of the packages that are in these group packages.