This section describes the primary distinct ways to use AI. Note that some of these actions are optional depending on how much customization you want to do automatically. Automated Installer Use Cases provides more information about the actions that might be appropriate for your situation.
Configure the AI server to provide the necessary configuration to support AI clients. See How to Set Up An AI Server for complete instructions. When the AI server is configured:
The correct OS is installed.
The network interface is configured using a static IP address.
The installadm package is installed.
Optionally, multicast DNS may be enabled.
Create an install service to create a boot image for the AI clients to use. You must create an install service for each client architecture and each version of the OS that you need to be able to install. When you create the first install service for a particular architecture on an AI server, an alias of that service, default-i386 or default-sparc, is automatically created. This default service is used for all installations on clients of that architecture that are not explicitly associated with a different install service with the create-client subcommand. See Creating an Install Service for more information.
(Optional) Associate an AI client with a service. See Associating an AI Client With an Install service.This step is necessary if you are supporting one client architecture with multiple versions of the OS.
(Optional) Create an AI manifest to define where the package repository or archive used to install the AI client is located. See Defining AI Client Installation Parameters for more information. When creating an AI manifest, you can associate the manifest with particular AI clients by specifying criteria. For more information, see Matching AI Clients With Installation and Configuration Instructions. Once you have created the AI manifest, you must associate the manifest with an install service. See Associating Client-Specific Installation Instructions With an Install Service for full instructions. Creating a manifest and associating that manifest with an install service is necessary if you want to customize the installation for an AI client. Here is some of the information that can be customized:
The disk layout
The location of the IPS repository or archive
The locales to be installed
The packages to be installed
(Optional) Create one or more system configuration profiles to provide additional configuration information for the AI client. See Defining AI Client System Configuration Parameters for more information. When creating a system configuration profile, you can associate the profile with particular AI clients by specifying criteria. For more information, see Matching AI Clients With Installation and Configuration Instructions. Once you have created a system configuration profile, you must associate the profile with an install service. See Associating Client-Specific Configuration Instructions With Install Services for full instructions. Creating one or more system configuration profiles and associating them with an install service is necessary if you want to automatically configure any of the following:
SMF services, including enabling, disabling and setting properties
User accounts and groups
Nodename
Time zone and locale
Terminal type and keyboard layout
Network interfaces
Name service
Oracle Configuration Manager and Oracle Auto Service Request (ASR)
You can choose to configure any or all of these items by creating a system configuration profile. Once the AI client has been installed, you will need to configure manually any items that are not specified in a system configuration profile. If you choose not to use any profiles, you will be prompted to make the changes after the installation has completed.
(Optional) Create a first-boot script to provide configuration requirements that can't be added to an AI manifest or profile. See Running a Custom Script During First Boot for more information.
Make sure the AI clients can access a DHCP server and an IPS server or a stem storing the archive, as needed.
Boot the AI client over the network using the install service.