Creating a Profile Server

When setting up custom JumpStart installations for systems on the network, you need to create a directory on a server (called a JumpStart directory). A JumpStart directory contains all the essential custom JumpStart files (for example, the rules file, rules.ok file, and profiles) at its root level.

The server that contains a JumpStart directory is called a profile server. A profile server can be the same system as an install or boot server, or it can be a completely different server.

Ensure that root owns the JumpStart directory and that its permissions are set to 755.

A profile server can provide custom JumpStart files for different platforms. For example, an IA server can provide custom JumpStart files for both SPARC and IA based systems.

To Create a JumpStart Directory on a Server

This procedure assumes that the system is running Volume Manager. If you are not using Volume Manager to manage diskettes and CDs, refer to System Administration Guide, Volume I for detailed information about managing removable media without Volume Manager.

1. Log in as superuser on the server on which you want to create the JumpStart directory.

2. Create the JumpStart directory anywhere on the server:

   # mkdir -m 755 jumpstart_dir_path

   where jumpstart_dir_path is the absolute path of the JumpStart directory.

   For example, the following command creates a directory called jumpstart in the root (/) directory and sets its permissions to 755:

   mkdir -m 755 /jumpstart

3. Edit the /etc/dfs/dfstab file by adding the following entry:

   share -F nfs -o ro,anon=0 jumpstart_dir_path

   For example, the following entry shares the /jumpstart directory:

   share -F nfs -o ro,anon=0 /jumpstart

4. Type shareall and press Return or Enter.

5. Do you want to copy examples of custom JumpStart files to your JumpStart directory?

   • If no, stop; you are done creating a JumpStart directory on your profile server.

   • If yes, use the decision table below to determine what to do next.

   If you want to copy the examples from	Then
   The Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD for your platform	Insert the CD labeled Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 Intel Platform Edition into the server's CD-ROM drive.  Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.
   An image of the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD for your platform on a local disk	Change directory to the location of the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 Intel Platform Edition CD image. For example:  cd /export/install

6. Copy the example custom JumpStart files into the JumpStart directory on the profile server:

   # cp -r media_path/Solaris_8/Misc/jumpstart_sample/* jumpstart_dir_path

   where media_path is the path to the CD or image on the local disk and jumpstart_dir_path is the path on the profile server where you want to place the example custom JumpStart files.

   For example, the following command copies the jumpstart_sample directory into the /jumpstart directory on the profile server:

   cp -r /cdrom/cdrom0/s2/Solaris_8/Misc/jumpstart_sample/* /jumpstart

7. Update the example JumpStart files so they work in your environment.