System Requirements and Recommendations
The following tables list basic system requirements to install the Solaris OS.
Table 1-1 Memory, Swap, and Processor Recommendations
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|
Memory
to install or upgrade |
- For UFS file systems, the memory requirements are as follows.
For SPARC systems:
For x86 systems:
Note - Some optional installation features are enabled only when sufficient memory is present. For example, if you install from a DVD with insufficient memory, you install through the Solaris installation program's text installer, not through the GUI. For more information about these memory requirements, see Table 1-2.
In previous Solaris releases, you could not install and boot the Solaris OS from a disk that was greater than 1 terabyte in size. Starting with the Solaris 10 10/09 release, you can install and boot the Solaris OS from a disk that is up to 2 TB in size. Starting with the Solaris 10 10/09 release, you can use the VTOC label on a disk of any size, but the addressable space by the VTOC is limited to 2 TB. This feature allows disks that are larger than 2 TB to be used as boot drives, but the usable space from the label is limited to 2 TB.
Note - This feature is only available on systems that run a 64-bit kernel. A minimum of 1 GB of memory is required for x86 based systems.
For detailed information, see Two-Terabyte Disk Support for Installing and Booting the Solaris OS in System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems.
For ZFS root pools in SPARC and x86 systems:
768 MB is the minimum memory.
1 GB of memory is recommended for overall ZFS performance.
At least 16 GB of disk space is recommended.
|
Swap area |
Note - You might need to customize the swap space.
Swap space is based on the size of the system's hard disk.
|
Processor requirements |
|
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Solaris Installation Program GUI or Text Installer Requirements
The Solaris installation program on the Solaris Operating System DVD or Solaris
Software - 1 CD can be run with a graphical user interface
(GUI) or as an interactive text installer in a desktop or console session.
For x86 based systems, the Solaris Device Configuration Assistant is included in the
Solaris installation program.
-
GUI – The Solaris installation GUI provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and iconic images to enable you to interact with the installation program. The GUI requires a local or remote DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, video adapter, keyboard, monitor, and enough memory. For more information about these memory requirements, see Table 1-2.
-
Text installer – The Solaris interactive text installer enables you to type information in a terminal or console window to interact with the installation program. You can run the text installer in a desktop session with a windowing environment, or in a console session. The text installer requires a local or remote DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, keyboard, and monitor. You can run the Solaris installation text installer with the tip command. For more information, see the man page, tip(1).
You can choose to install the software with a GUI or with or
without a windowing environment. If there is sufficient memory, the GUI is displayed
by default. Other environments are displayed by default if memory is insufficient for
the GUI. You can override defaults with the nowin or text boot options. But,
you are limited by the amount of memory in your system or
by installing remotely. Also if the Solaris installation program does not detect a video
adapter, it automatically displays in a console-based environment. Table 1-2 describes these environments and
list memory requirements for displaying them.
Table 1-2 Memory Requirements for Display Options
|
|
|
256-767 MB |
Text-based |
Contains no
graphics, but provides a window and the ability to open other windows. If
you install by using the text boot option and the system has enough
memory, you are installing in a windowing environment. If you are installing remotely
through a tip line or using the nowin boot option, you are limited
to the console-based installation. |
768 MB or greater |
GUI-based |
Provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and
iconic images. |
|
You can also specify the installer you want to use during the
installation by entering a selection or special command at a prompt. For instructions, see
the procedures in Chapter 2, Installing With the Solaris Installation Program For UFS File Systems (Tasks).
General Disk Space Planning and Recommendations
Planning disk space is different for everyone. Consider allocating space for the following
conditions, depending on your needs.
Table 1-3 General Disk Space and Swap Space Planning
|
|
For UFS file systems |
For each
file system that you create, allocate an additional 30 percent more disk space
than you need to enable you to upgrade to future Solaris versions.
By default, the Solaris installation methods create only root (/) and /swap. When
space is allocated for OS services, the /export directory is also created.
If you are upgrading to a major Solaris release, you might need to
reslice your system or allocate double the space that you need at installation
time. If you are upgrading to an update, you could prevent having to
reslice your system by allocating extra disk space for future upgrades. A Solaris
update release needs approximately 10 percent more disk space than the previous release.
You can allocate an additional 30 percent of disk space for each file
system to allow space for several Solaris updates.
Note - In previous Solaris releases, you could
not install and boot the Solaris OS from a disk that was greater
than 1 terabyte in size. Starting with the Solaris 10 10/09 release, you can install and boot the Solaris
OS from a disk that is up to 2 TB in size. Starting with the Solaris 10 10/09 release, you
can use the VTOC label on a disk of any size, but
the addressable space by the VTOC is limited to 2 TB. This feature
allows disks that are larger than 2 TB to be used as boot
drives, but the usable space from the label is limited to 2 TB. This
feature is only available on systems that run a 64-bit kernel. A minimum
of 1 GB of memory is required for x86 based systems. For detailed information,
see Two-Terabyte Disk Support for Installing and Booting the Solaris OS in System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems.
|
The /var file system for UFS file systems |
If you intend to
use the crash dump feature savecore(1M), allocate double the amount of your physical
memory in the /var file system. |
Swap |
For a UFS file system, the Solaris installation program
allocates a default swap area of 512 Mbytes under the following conditions:
By default,
the Solaris installation programs allocate swap space by placing swap so that it
starts at the first available disk cylinder (typically cylinder 0 on SPARC based
systems). This placement provides maximum space for the root (/) file system
during the default disk layout and enables the growth of the root
(/) file system during an upgrade.
If you think you might need to
expand the swap area in the future, you can place the swap slice
so that it starts at another disk cylinder by using one of the
following methods.
For an overview of the swap space, see Chapter 20, Configuring Additional Swap Space (Tasks), in System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems. |
A server
that is providing home directory file systems |
By default, home directories are usually
located in the /export file system. |
The Solaris software group you are installing |
A software
group is a grouping of software packages. When you are planning disk space,
remember that you can add or remove individual software packages from the software
group that you select. For information about software groups, see Disk Space Recommendations for Software Groups. |
Upgrade |
|
Language support |
For
example, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. If you plan to install a single language,
allocate approximately 0.7 Gbytes of additional disk space for the language. If
you plan to install all language supports, you need to allocate up
to approximately 2.5 Gbytes of additional disk space for the language supports, depending
on the software group you install. |
Printing or mail support |
Allocate additional space. |
Additional
software or third-party software |
Allocate additional space. |
|
Disk Space Recommendations for Software Groups
The Solaris software groups are collections of Solaris packages. Each software group includes
support for different functions and hardware drivers.
-
For an initial installation, you select the software group to install, based on the functions that you want to perform on the system.
-
For an upgrade, you must upgrade to a software group that is installed on the system. For example, if you previously installed the End User Solaris Software Group on your system, you cannot use the upgrade option to upgrade to the Developer Solaris Software Group. However, during the upgrade you can add software to the system that is not part of the currently installed software group.
When you are installing the Solaris software, you can choose to add or
remove packages from the Solaris software group that you selected. When you
are selecting which packages to add or remove, you need to know
about software dependencies and how the Solaris software is packaged.
The following figure shows the grouping of software packages. Reduced Network Support contains
the minimal number of packages and Entire Solaris Software Group Plus OEM Support
contains all the packages.
Figure 1-1 Solaris Software Groups
Table 1-4 lists the Solaris software groups and the recommended amount of disk space
that you need to install each group.
Table 1-4 Disk Space Recommendations for Software Groups
|
|
|
Entire Solaris Software Group Plus OEM Support |
Contains the packages for the
Entire Solaris Software Group plus additional hardware drivers, including drivers for hardware that
is not on the system at the time of installation. |
6.8 Gbytes |
Entire Solaris Software
Group |
Contains the packages for the Developer Solaris Software Group and additional software that
is needed for servers. |
6.7 Gbytes |
Developer Solaris Software Group |
Contains the packages for
the End User Solaris Software Group plus additional support for software development. The
additional software development support includes libraries, include files, man pages, and programming tools. Compilers
are not included. |
6.6 Gbytes |
End User Solaris Software Group |
Contains the packages that provide
the minimum code that is required to boot and run a networked Solaris
system and the Common Desktop Environment. |
5.3 Gbytes |
Core System Support Software Group |
Contains the
packages that provide the minimum code that is required to boot and run
a networked Solaris system. |
2.0 Gbytes |
Reduced Network Support Software Group |
Contains the packages that
provide the minimum code that is required to boot and run a Solaris
system with limited network service support. The Reduced Network Support Software Group provides
a multiuser text-based console and system administration utilities. This software group also
enables the system to recognize network interfaces, but does not activate network
services. |
2.0 Gbytes |
|