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Solaris 8 Advanced Installation Guide

Guidelines for Preconfiguring With the sysidcfg File

You specify a set of keywords in the sysidcfg file to preconfigure a system. These keywords are described in Table 4-2.

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 provided you want all the systems 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 a shared NFSTM network directory or in the root (/) directory on:

in the system's diskette drive.

Types of Keywords: Dependent and Independent

There are two types of keywords you use in the sysidcfg file: independent and dependent. Dependent keywords are guaranteed to be unique only within independent keywords. That is, a dependent keyword exists only when it is identified with its associated independent keyword.

In this example, name_service is the independent keyword, while domain_name and name_server are the dependent keywords:

name_service=NIS {domain_name=marquee.central.sun.com
name_server=connor(129.152.112.3)}

Syntax Rules of the sysidcfg File

Syntax Rule 

Example 

Keywords can be listed in any order. 

 

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

Keywords are not case sensitive. 

 

TIMEZONE=US/Central
terminal=PC Console

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

 

name_service=NIS 
       {domain_name=marquee.central.sun.com
        name_server=connor(129.152.112.3)}

Values can optionally be enclosed in single (`) or double quotes ("). 

 

network_interface='none'

Only one instance of a keyword is valid; however, if you specify the keyword more than once, only the first instance of the keyword is used. 

 

network_interface=none
network_interface=le0

Table 4-2 describes the keywords you can use in the sysidcfg file.

Table 4-2 Keywords You Can Use in sysidcfg

Configuration Information 

Platform 

Keywords 

Where to Find Values/Example 

Name service, domain name, name server 

All 

name_service=NIS, NIS+, DNS, NONE

  
    

Options for NIS and NIS+: {domain_name=domain_name name_server=hostname(ip_address)}

name_service=NIS {domain_name=west.arp.com name_server=timber(129.221.2.1)}

name_service=NIS+ {domain_name=west.arp.com. name_server=timber(129.221.2.1)}

   

Options for DNS: {domain_name=domain_name name_server=ip_address,ip_address, ip_address (three maximum) search=domain_name,domain_name,domain_name,domain_name,domain_name, domain_name (six maximum, total length less than or equal to 250 characters)}

name_service=DNS {domain_name=west.arp.com name_server=10.0.1.10,10.0.1.20 search=arp.com,east.arp.com}

Note -

Choose only one value for name_service. Include either, both, or neither of the domain_name and name_server keywords, as needed. If neither keyword is used, omit the curly braces {}.

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

All 

network_interface=NONE, PRIMARY, or value

  
    If DHCP is to be used, specify: {dhcp protocol_ipv6=yes_or_no}

network_interface=primary {dhcp protocol_ipv6=yes}

    If DHCP is not to be used, specify: {hostname=host_name ip_address=ip_address netmask=netmask protocol_ipv6=yes_or_no}

network_interface=le0 {hostname=feron ip_address=129.222.2.1 netmask=255.255.0.0 protocol_ipv6=no}

Note -

Choose only one value for network_interface. Include any combination or none of the hostname, ip_address, and netmask keywords, as needed. If you do not use any of these keywords, omit the curly braces ({}).

Note -

If DHCP is not to be used, protocol_ipv6 is optional; you do not need to specify it.

Root password 

All 

root_password=root_password

Encrypted from /etc/shadow.

Security policy 

All 

security_policy=kerberos, NONE

Options for kerberos: {default_realm=FQDN admin_server=FQDN kdc=FQDN1, FQDN2, FQDN3}

where FQDN is a fully qualified domain name.

Note -

You can list a maximum of three key distribution centers (KDCs), but at least one is required.

 

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

Language in which to display the install program and desktop 

All 

system_locale=locale

The /usr/lib/locale directory or Appendix B, Locale Values provides the valid locale values.

Terminal type 

All 

terminal=terminal_type

The subdirectories in the /usr/share/lib/terminfo directory provide the valid terminal values.

Time zone 

All 

timezone=timezone

The directories and files in the /usr/share/lib/zoneinfo directory provide the valid time zone values. The time zone value is the name of the path relative to the /usr/share/lib/zoneinfo directory. For example, the time zone value for Mountain Standard Time in the United States is US/Mountain; the time zone value for Japan is Japan.

Date and time 

All 

timeserver=localhost, hostname, ip_addr

If you specify localhost as the time server, the system's time is assumed to be correct. If you specify the hostname or ip_addr (if you are not running a name service) of a system, that system's time is used to set the time.

Monitor type 

IA 

monitor=monitor_type

Run kdmconfig -d filename; append output to sysidcfg file.

Keyboard language, keyboard layout 

IA 

keyboard=keyboard_language {layout=value}

Run kdmconfig -d filename; append output to sysidcfg file.

Graphics card, screen size, color depth, display resolution 

IA 

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

Run kdmconfig -d filename; append output to sysidcfg file.

Pointing device, number of buttons, IRQ level 

IA 

pointer=pointing_device {nbuttons=number_buttons irq=value}

Run kdmconfig -d filename; append output to sysidcfg file.

SPARC: Example sysidcfg File

The following example illustrates what a sysidcfg file looks like for a group of SPARC based systems. (The host names, IP addresses, and netmask of these systems have been preconfigured by editing the name service.) Because all the system configuration information is preconfigured in this file, you could use a custom JumpStart profile to perform a custom JumpStart installation.

system_locale=en_US
timezone=US/Central
terminal=sun-cmd
timeserver=localhost
name_service=NIS {domain_name=marquee.central.sun.com
                  name_server=connor(129.152.112.3)}
root_password=m4QPOWNY

IA: Example sysidcfg File

The following example illustrates what a sysidcfg file looks like for a group of IA based systems that all use the same type of keyboard, graphics cards, and pointing devices. The device information (keyboard, display, and pointer) was obtained by running the kdmconfig(1M) command with the -d option. If the following example sysidcfg file is used, a prompt that asks you to select a language (system_locale) is displayed before installation can proceed.

keyboard=ATKBD {layout=US-English}
display=ati {size=15-inch}
pointer=MS-S
timezone=US/Central
timeserver=connor
terminal=ibm-pc
name_service=NIS {domain_name=marquee.central.sun.com
                  name_server=connor(129.152.112.3)}
root_password=URFUni9

To Create a sysidcfg Configuration File

  1. Using a text editor of your choice, open a new text file and name it sysidcfg.

    Note -

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

  2. Enter the sysidcfg keywords you want.

  3. Save the sysidcfg file.

  4. Make the sysidcfg file available to clients through:

    • The root (/) directory on a:

      • UFS diskette

      • PCFS diskette