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Solaris 10 Installation Guide for IBM BladeCenter Servers

Preconfiguring With the sysidcfg File

You can specify a set of keywords in the sysidcfg file to preconfigure a system.

You must create a unique sysidcfg file for every system that requires different configuration information. You can use the same sysidcfg file to preconfigure the time zone on a set of systems if you want all the systems to be assigned the same time zone. However, if you want to preconfigure a different root (superuser) password for each of those systems, you need to create a unique sysidcfg file for each system.

You can place the sysidcfg file in one of the following:

You can place only one sysidcfg file in a directory or on a diskette. If you are creating more than one sysidcfg file, you must place each file in a different directory or on a different diskette.

The following sections describe the components of the sysidcfg file. Refer to this information when creating a new sysidcfg file. A sample of the sysidcfg file is located in the /install-dir-path/Solaris_10.1/Tools directory. Instead of creating a new file, you can copy this file to use and customize for your installation environment.

Syntax Rules for the sysidcfg File

You can use two types of keywords in the sysidcfg file: independent and dependent. Dependent keywords are guaranteed to be unique only within independent keywords. A dependent keyword exists only when it is identified with its associated independent keyword.

Syntax Rule 

Example 

Independent keywords can be listed in any order. 

 

pointer=MS-S
display=ati {size=15-inch}

Keywords are not case-sensitive. 

 

TIMEZONE=US/Central
terminal=sun-cmd

Enclose all dependent keywords in braces ({}) to tie them to their associated independent keyword. 

 

name_service=NIS 
       {domain_name=marquee.central.example.com}

You can optionally enclose values in single (`) or double quotation marks (“). 

 

network_interface='none'

sysidcfg File Keywords

The following table lists the keywords that you can use to configure system information in the sysidcfg file.

Table 1–3 sysidcfg Configuration Information and Keyword Examples

Configuration Information 

Keyword 

Network interface, host name, Internet Protocol (IP) address, netmask, DHCP, IPv6 

network_interface

root (superuser) password

root_password

Security policy 

security_policy

Language in which to display the installation program and desktop 

system_locale

Terminal type 

terminal

Time zone 

timezone

Date and time 

timeserver

Monitor type 

monitor

Keyboard language, keyboard layout 

keyboard

Graphics card, screen size, color depth, display resolution 

display

Pointing device, number of buttons, IRQ level 

pointer

The following sections describe the keywords that you can use in the sysidcfg file.

network_interface Keyword

Use the network_interface keyword to perform the following tasks:

The following sections describe how to use the network_interface keyword to configure system interfaces.

Syntax for Nonnetworked Systems

To turn off networking for a system, set the network_interface value to none. For example:


network_interface=none

Syntax for Configuring a Single Interface

You can use the network_interface keyword to configure a single interface in the following ways.

Example 1–1 Configuring a Single Interface by Using DHCP With the network_interface Keyword

The following example shows how to instruct the installation program to DHCP to configure the eri0 network interface. IPv6 support is not enabled.


network_interface=eri0 {dhcp protocol_ipv6=no}
Example 1–2 Configuring a Single Interface by Specifying Configuration Information With the network_interface Keyword

The following example shows how to configure the eri0 interface with the following settings:


network_interface=eri0 {hostname=host1 ip_address=172.31.88.100
                        netmask=255.255.255.0 protocol_ipv6=no}

Syntax for Configuring Multiple Interfaces

You can configure multiple network interfaces in your sysidcfg file. For each interface that you want to configure, include a network_interface keyword entry in the sysidcfg file.

You can use the network_interface keyword to configure multiple interfaces in the following ways:

In the same sysidcfg file, you can use DHCP to configure certain interfaces, while also specifying the configuration information for other interfaces in the sysidcfg file.

Example 1–3 Configuring Multiple Interfaces With the network_interface Keyword

In the following example, the network interfaces eri0 and eri1 are configured in the following way:


network_interface=eri0 {dhcp protocol_ipv6=no}
network_interface=eri1 {primary hostname=host1 
                        ip_address=172.31.88.100
                        netmask=255.255.255.0 
                        protocol_ipv6=no}

root_password Keyword

You can specify the root (superuser) password to the system in the sysidcfg file. To specify the root (superuser) password, use the root_password keyword with the following syntax:


root_password=encrypted-password

encrypted-password is the encrypted password as it appears in the /etc/shadow file.

security_policy Keyword

You can use the security_policy keyword in your sysidcfg file to configure your system to use the Kerberos network authentication protocol. If you want to configure the system to use Kerberos, use the following syntax:


security_policy=kerberos {default_realm=FQDN 
                          admin_server=FQDN kdc=FQDN1, FQDN2, FQDN3}

FQDN specifies the fully qualified domain name of the Kerberos default realm, the administration server, and key distribution center (KDC). You must specify at least one, but no more than three, key distribution centers.

If you do not want to set the security policy for the system, set security_policy=NONE.

For more information about the Kerberos network authentication protocol, see Part VI, Kerberos Service, in System Administration Guide: Security Services.

Example 1–4 Configuring the System to Use Kerberos With the security_policy Keyword

The following example configures the system to use Kerberos with the following information:


security_policy=kerberos 
                {default_realm=example.COM 
                 admin_server=krbadmin.example.COM 
                 kdc=kdc1.example.COM, 
                 kdc2.example.COM}

system_locale Keyword

You can use the system_locale keyword to specify the language in which to display the installation program and desktop. Use the following syntax to specify a locale:


system_locale=locale

locale specifies the language that you want the system to use to display the installation panels and screens. For a list of valid locale values, see the /usr/lib/locale directory or the International Language Environments Guide.

terminal Keyword

You can use the terminal keyword to specify the terminal type for the system. Use the following syntax to specify the terminal type:


terminal=terminal_type

terminal_type specifies the terminal type for the system. For a list of valid terminal types, see the subdirectories in the /usr/share/lib/terminfo directory.

timezone Keyword

You can set the time zone for the system with the timezone keyword. Use the following syntax:


timezone=timezone

The timezone keyword specifies the time zone value for the system. The directories and files in the /usr/share/lib/zoneinfo directory provide the valid time zone values. The timezone value is the name of the path relative to the /usr/share/lib/zoneinfo directory. You can also specify any valid Olson time zone.

Example 1–5 Configuring the System Time Zone With the timezone Keyword

In the following example, the system time zone is set to mountain standard time in the United States.


timezone=US/Mountain

The installation program configures the system to use the time zone information in /usr/share/lib/zoneinfo/US/Mountain.

timeserver Keyword

You can use the timeserver keyword to specify the system that sets the date and time on the system you want to install.

Note –

Do not set timeserver=host-name or ip-address if you are running a name service.

Choose one of the following methods to set the timeserver keyword:

monitor Keyword

You can configure monitor information with the monitor keyword. Use the following syntax with the monitor keyword:


monitor=monitor-type

To set the value for the monitor keyword, run the kdmconfig -d command on the system that you want to install. Copy the line of output that includes the monitor keyword, and include this line in the sysidcfg file.

keyboard Keyword

You can configure the keyboard language and layout information with the keyboard keyword. Use the following syntax with the keyboard keyword:


keyboard=keyboard-language {layout=value}

To set the value for the keyboard keyword, run the kdmconfig -d command on the system you want to install. Copy the line of output that includes the keyboard keyword, and include this line in the sysidcfg file.

display Keyword

You can configure the following information with the display keyword:

Use the following syntax with the display keyword:


display=graphics_card {size=screen_size 
                     depth=color_depth 
                     resolution=screen_resolution}

To set the appropriate values for the display keyword, run the kdmconfig -d command on the system you want to install. Copy the line of output that includes the display keyword, and include this line in the sysidcfg file.

pointer Keyword

You can configure the following mouse information with the pointer keyword:

Use the following syntax with the pointer keyword:


pointer=pointing-device {nbuttons=number-buttons irq=value}

To set the value for the pointer keyword, run the kdmconfig -d command on the system that you want to install. Copy the line of output that includes the pointer keyword, and include this line in the sysidcfg file.

For more information about all of these keywords, see the kdmconfig(1M) man page.

ProcedureHow to Create a sysidcfg Configuration File

The Solaris OS installation programs require you to provide configuration information about a system, such as peripheral devices, host name, IP address, and name service (if applicable). Before the installation tools prompt you for this configuration information, the tools check for this information in the sysidcfg file and then in the name services databases (if applicable). When the Solaris installation program or the custom JumpStart installation program detects preconfigured system information in the sysidcfg file, you are not prompted to enter this information manually, which saves on time and resources. For example, if you have several systems, and you do not want a time zone prompt displayed every time you install the Solaris OS, you can specify the time zone in the sysidcfg file.

For more information about the sysidcfg file, see the sysidcfg(4) man page.

  1. Using a text editor, create a file named sysidcfg.

  2. Type the keywords that you want to include in the sysidcfg configuration file. See Preconfiguring With the sysidcfg File for guidelines and syntax to use.

  3. Save the sysidcfg file.

    Note –

    If you create more than one sysidcfg file, you must save each file in a separate directory or on a separate diskette.

  4. Make the sysidcfg file available to clients through either of the following:

    • A shared NFS file system. Use the add_install_client command with the -p option to set up the system to install from the network.

    • The root (/) directory on a UFS diskette or PCFS diskette.

Example 1–6 sysidcfg File

The following example shows a sysidcfg file for a group of systems that use the same type of keyboard, graphics cards, and pointing devices information. If the sysidcfg file in this example were used, you would be prompted to select a language (system_locale) before the installation could proceed.

The device information (keyboard, display, and pointer) was obtained by running the kdmconfig command with the -d option. See the kdmconfig(1M) man page for more information.


keyboard=ATKBD {layout=US-English}
display=ati {size=15-inch}
pointer=MS-S
timezone=US/Central
timeserver=timehost1
terminal=ibm-pc
name_service=NIS {domain_name=marquee.central.example.com
                  name_server=nmsvr2(172.25.112.3)}
root_password=URFUni9
Continuing the Installation

If you plan to use the sysidcfg file in an installation over the network, you need to set up an installation server and add the system as an installation client. For more information, see Preparing to Install the Solaris Operating System on IBM BladeCenter Servers (Task Map) and Preconfiguring With the sysidcfg File.

If you plan to use the sysidcfg file in a custom JumpStart installation, you need to create a profile and a rules.ok file. See How To Create a rules File.