Choose an Installation Method

Prior to starting the Windows Server installation, you need to determine the installation method you will use to install the Windows software. To define your installation method, you need to decide which type of console and installation media you will use to perform the Windows installation.

The following sections identify the console options and media options you can use when performing the Windows Server installation:

Note

You can mix and match any console option with any installation media option.

Console Options

This section describes some of the common console options you could use when performing the Windows Server installation. Which console option you decide to use will depend on the type of installation you want to perform:

  • Console via Serial Port Connection

    This option uses a console via a serial port connection to capture the output and input of the Windows Server 2003 OS installation. If you choose to use a serial port connection to perform the OS installation, you must:

    • Physically attach a console to the serial port on either the Sun Blade Server Module (blade) or the Chassis Monitoring Module (CMM). For details, see Attach Local Serial Console to Sun Blade Server Module in Attach Local Devices to Sun Blade Server Module or Attach Serial Console to aCMM.

      Note

      A dumb terminal (such as VT100) or a laptop attached to a serial port are considered examples of a serial console.

    • Log in to ILOM as an Administrator.

    • Use a local client interface, such as a terminal window, capable of capturing the text output and input of the Windows Server 2003 OS installation.

    • Start the ILOM CLI console on the CMM or Sun Blade Server Module (blade) service processor (SP), for example:

      For CMM, you would type:

      start /CH/BL#/SP/console

      where # = the slot number of the blade in the chassis

      For blade SP, you would type:

      start /SP/console

  • Console via VGA Port Connection

    This option uses a local console via a VGA port connection to capture the output and input of the Windows Server 2003 OS installation.

    If you choose to use a local VGA port connection to perform the OS installation, you must:

  • Sun ILOM Remote Console (Remote KVMS)

    If you choose to use the Sun ILOM Remote Console to perform the OS installation, you must:

    The Sun ILOM Remote Console is a Java application that is launched from the ILOM web interface. For this console option, the text output device is the remote console that is running the Sun ILOM Remote Console application. The input devices are the remote keyboard and mouse.

    For details about configuring ILOM for remote KVMs and launching the Sun ILOM Remote Console, see Use ILOM Remote Console to Remotely Manage Server.

  • Console via SSH or Telnet. This option establishes console access through a SSH connection or Telnet connection to either the CMM or blade SP. This option is similar to the “console via serial port connection” except that it uses a SSH or Telnet connection to the serial port.

    If you choose to use a secure connection to perform the OS installation, you must:

    • Have network connectivity established to the Sun Blade 8000 Series. For details, see Attach CMM Network Management Cables and Configure Sun Blade 8000 Management Network.

    • Have the IP address for either the CMM or the Sun Blade Server Module SP. For details, see Configure Sun Blade 8000 Management Network.

    • Log into ILOM using the Administrator username and password.

    • Have a remote client capable of establishing a secure shell (or Telnet) connection to capture the output and input of the Windows Server 2003 OS installation.

    • Start the ILOM CLI console on the CMM or blade SP, for example:

      For CMM, you would type:

      start /CH/BL#/sp/console

      where # = the slot number of the blade in the chassis

      For blade SP, you would type:

      start /sp/console

Local and Remote Installation Media Options

You can choose to use local or remote installation media when performing the Windows Server installation. Which media option you choose to use will depend on the type of installation you want to perform:

  • Local Media

    When you choose to perform the installation using local media you must use the Windows Server 2003 Distribution CD/DVD.

    This method requires you to physically attach a CD/DVD-ROM drive to the USB connector on the front panel of the Sun Blade Server Module. For more information about attaching a CD/DVD ROM to a Sun Blade Server Module, see Attach USB Device to Server Module in Attach Local Devices to Sun Blade Server Module.

  • Remote Media

    When you choose to perform the installation using remote media, you can use one of the following installation media: Windows Server 2003 CD/DVD, customer-provided ISO CD image, or customer-provided Remote Installation Services (RIS) image.

    Note

    Automating the installation process (with RIS) can eliminate some or most of the manual tasks of setting up the operating system installation for the first time on multiple systems. Instead, you simply apply the properly configured RIS image and the targeted installation servers are ready for use.

    The remote media method does not require you to be physically near the server. You can choose to boot the installation media over the network via a virtual drive or PXE client:

    • Boot installation media via virtual drive

      A virtual drive refers to the drive being emulated. This can include a remote CD/DVD drive or an ISO image located on a network share. If you choose to boot the installation media via a virtual drive, you must list the virtual drive as the first temporary boot device in the BIOS.

    • Boot installation media via PXE client

      A PXE client refers to the computer booting the installation media via PXE (Intel Preboot Execution Environment). The installation media uses the PXE specification implemented on the Sun Blade 8000 Series. Specifically, the PXE technology provides the server with the capability to boot Windows over the network using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

      Note that when you install Windows from remote media via a PXE-based network, you will need to configure the PXE network interface card as the temporary boot device. Instructions for configuring the PXE network interface card as the temporary boot device are provided in the procedure Install Windows Server 2003 via PXE.

    Some of the hardware and software requirements to install the Windows OS using remote media include:

    • Network connection to both the Chassis Monitoring Module (CMM) and Sun Blade Server Module within the Sun Blade 8000 Series. For information about how to configure network parameters for the Sun Blade 8000 Series, see Configure Sun Blade 8000 Management Network.

    • Properly configured network installation server that specifies one or more Sun Blade Server Modules or Storage Area Network (SAN) devices as the installation targets. For more information about installation targets, see Choose Installation Method.

    • If you choose to automate the network installation process via RIS, you will also need to have a RIS administrator password and a properly built RIS image and RIS server environment.

Note

RIS supports only new installations. You cannot use RIS to upgrade an existing operating system. Information concerning how to properly set up and deploy a RIS environment is outside the scope of this installation topic. For details, see Microsoft's documentation for deploying and using Remote Installation Services.