Solaris 8 Advanced Installation Guide

Creating an Install Server and a Boot Server

You must create an install server, and possibly a boot server, to install the Solaris software on a system over the network. This section describes how to:

To Create an Install Server

  1. On the system that is going to be the install server, log in and become superuser.

    This system must include a CD-ROM drive and be part of the site's network and name service. The system must also be in the NIS or NIS+ name service. (If your site doesn't use the NIS or NIS+ name service, you must distribute information about this system by following your site's policies.)


    Note -

    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.


  2. 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 system's CD-ROM drive.

  3. If necessary, mount the CD.

    Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.

  4. Change to the Tools directory on the mounted CD:


    # cd /cdrom/sol_8_sparc#2/s0/Solaris_8/Tools
    

    # cd /cdrom/sol_8_ia#1/s2/Solaris_8/Tools
    
  5. Copy the CD in the CD-ROM drive to the install server's hard disk by using the setup_install_server command:


    # ./setup_install_server install_dir_path
    

    where install_dir_path specifies the directory where the CD image is to be copied. The directory must be empty.


    Note -

    The setup_install_server command indicates whether or not there is enough disk space available for the Solaris 8 Software CD images. To determine available disk space, use the df -kl command.


  6. Eject the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 Intel Platform Edition CD.

  7. Insert the CD labeled Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 Intel Platform Edition into the system's CD-ROM drive.

  8. If necessary, mount the CD.

    Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.

  9. Change to the Tools directory on the mounted CD:


    # cd /cdrom/sol_8_sparc_2#1/Solaris_8/Tools
    

    # cd /cdrom/sol_8_ia_2#1/Solaris_8/Tools
    
  10. Copy the CD in the CD-ROM drive to the install server's hard disk by using the add_to_install_server command:


    # ./add_to_install_server install_dir_path
    

    where install_dir_path specifies the directory where the CD image is to be copied.

  11. Eject the Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 Intel Platform Edition CD.

  12. Insert the CD labeled Solaris 8 Languages SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Languages Intel Platform Edition into the system's CD-ROM drive.

  13. If necessary, mount the CD.

    Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.

  14. Change to the Tools directory on the mounted CD:


    # cd /cdrom/sol_8_lang_sparc#2/Tools
    

    # cd /cdrom/sol_8_lang_ia#1/Tools
    
  15. Copy the CD in the CD-ROM drive to the install server's hard disk by using the add_to_install_server command:


    # ./add_to_install_server install_dir_path
    

    where install_dir_path specifies the directory where the CD image is to be copied.

  16. Do you want to enable users to use Solaris Web Start to boot a system and install the Solaris 8 software over a network?

    • If no, eject the Solaris 8 Languages SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Languages Intel Platform Edition CD and go to Step 21.

    • If yes, eject the Solaris 8 Languages SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Languages Intel Platform Edition CD.

  17. Insert the CD labeled Solaris 8 Installation English SPARC Platform Edition, Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual SPARC Platform Edition, Solaris 8 Installation English Intel Platform Edition, or Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual Intel Platform Edition into the system's CD-ROM drive.

  18. If necessary, mount the CD.

    Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.

  19. Change to the directory that contains modify_install_server on the mounted CD:


    # cd /cdrom/en_icd_sol_8_sparc/s0
    

    # cd /cdrom/en_icd_sol_8_ia/s2
    

    or


    # cd /cdrom/multi_icd_sol_8_sparc/s0
    

    # cd /cdrom/multi_icd_sol_8_ia/s2
    
  20. Use the modify_install_server command to copy the Solaris Web Start interface software to the install server:


    IA only -

    modify_install_server is located in the s2 directory on the CD labeled Solaris 8 Installation English Intel Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual Intel Platform Edition.



    # ./modify_install_server install_dir_path installer_miniroot_path
    

    where install_dir_path specifies the directory where the Solaris Web Start interface is to be copied and installer_miniroot_path specifies the directory on the CD in the CD-ROM drive from which the Solaris Web Start interface is to be copied.

  21. Do you want to patch the files located in the miniroot (Solaris_8/Tools/Boot) on the net install image created by setup_install_server?

    • If no, go to the next step.

    • If yes, use the patchadd -C command to patch the files located in the miniroot.

  22. Use the decision table below to determine what to do next.

    If the install server is 

    Then 

    On the same subnet as the system to be installed 

    You don't need to create a boot server. Go to "Setting Up Systems to Be Installed Over the Network".

    Not on the same subnet as the system to be installed

    You must follow the steps in "To Create a Boot Server on a Subnet".

SPARC: Example--Creating an Install Server

The following example illustrates how to create an install server by copying the CDs labeled Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition, Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition, Solaris 8 Languages SPARC Platform Edition, and Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual SPARC Platform Edition to the install server's /export/install directory:


# cd /cdrom/sol_8_sparc#2/s0/Solaris_8/Tools
# ./setup_install_server /export/install
# cd /cdrom/sol_8_sparc_2#1/Solaris_8/Tools
# ./add_to_install_server /export/install
# cd /cdrom/sol_8_lang_sparc#2/Tools
# ./add_to_install_server /export/install
# cd /cdrom/en_icd_sol_8_sparc/s0
# ./modify_install_server /export/install /cdrom/en_icd_sol_8_sparc/s2

Note -

In this example, each CD is inserted and automatically mounted before and removed after each of the commands shown above.


To Create a Boot Server on a Subnet

You can install Solaris software over the network from any install server on the network. However, a system that needs to use an install server on another subnet requires a separate boot server on its own subnet. A boot server contains enough of the boot software to boot systems over the network, and then the install server takes over to install the Solaris software.

  1. On the system you intend to make the boot server for the subnet, log in and become superuser.

    This system must include a local CD-ROM drive or have access to the remote Solaris 8 CD images. The system must also be included in the NIS or NIS+ name service. (If your site doesn't use the NIS or NIS+ name service, you must distribute information about this system by following your site's policies.)


    Note -

    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.


  2. Use the decision table below to determine what to do next.

    If you want to 

    Then 

    Mount the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD for your platform on the boot server's CD-ROM drive 

    1. 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 CD-ROM drive.

    2. If necessary, mount the CD.

      Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.

    Mount a Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD image for your platform from a remote install server via NFS 

    1. Mount the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 Intel Platform Edition CD image:


      # mount -F nfs -o ro server_name:path /mnt
      

      where server_name:path is the host name and absolute path to the CD image.

    2. Change directory to the mounted CD image:


      # cd /mnt
      

  3. Change to the Tools directory on the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 Intel Platform Edition CD image:


    # cd Solaris_8/Tools
    
  4. Copy the boot software to the boot server by using the setup_install_server command:


    # ./setup_install_server -b boot_dir_path
    

    -b

    Specifies that the system is to be set up as a boot server. 

    boot_dir_path

    Specifies the directory where the boot software is to be copied. The directory must be empty. 


    Note -

    The setup_install_server command indicates whether or not there is enough disk space available for the Solaris 8 Software CD images. To determine available disk space, use the df -kl command.


  5. Eject the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 Intel Platform Edition CD.

  6. Insert the CD labeled Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 Intel Platform Edition into the system's CD-ROM drive.

  7. If necessary, mount the CD.

    Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.

  8. Change to the Tools directory on the mounted CD:


    # cd Solaris_8/Tools
    
  9. Copy the CD in the CD-ROM drive to the install server's hard disk by using the add_to_install_server command:


    # ./add_to_install_server install_dir_path
    

    where install_dir_path specifies the directory where the CD image is to be copied.

  10. Eject the Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 Intel Platform Edition CD.

  11. Insert the CD labeled Solaris 8 Languages SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Languages Intel Platform Edition into the system's CD-ROM drive.

  12. If necessary, mount the CD.

    Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.

  13. Change to the Tools directory on the mounted CD:


    # cd /cdrom/sol_8_lang_sparc#2/Tools
    

    # cd /cdrom/sol_8_lang_ia#1/Tools
    
  14. Copy the CD in the CD-ROM drive to the install server's hard disk by using the add_to_install_server command:


    # ./add_to_install_server install_dir_path
    

    where install_dir_path specifies the directory where the CD image is to be copied.

  15. Do you want to enable users to use Solaris Web Start to boot a system and install the Solaris 8 software over a network?

    • If no, eject the Solaris 8 Languages SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Languages Intel Platform Edition CD and go to Step 21.

    • If yes, eject the Solaris 8 Languages SPARC Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Languages Intel Platform Edition CD.

  16. Insert the CD labeled Solaris 8 Installation English SPARC Platform Edition, Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual SPARC Platform Edition, Solaris 8 Installation English Intel Platform Edition, or Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual Intel Platform Edition into the system's CD-ROM drive.

  17. If necessary, mount the CD.

    Volume Manager automatically mounts the CD.

  18. Use the modify_install_server command to copy the Solaris Web Start interface software to the install server:


    IA only -

    modify_install_server is located in the s2 directory on the CD labeled Solaris 8 Installation English Intel Platform Edition or Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual Intel Platform Edition.



    # ./modify_install_server install_dir_path installer_miniroot_path
    

    where install_dir_path specifies the directory where the Solaris Web Start interface is to be copied and installer_miniroot_path specifies the directory on the CD in the CD-ROM drive from which the Solaris Web Start interface is to be copied.

SPARC: Example--Creating a Boot Server on a Subnet

The following example illustrates how to create a boot server on a subnet by copying the boot software from the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition CD image to /export/install/boot on the system's local disk, and then copying the Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition, Solaris 8 Languages SPARC Platform Edition, and Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual SPARC Platform Edition CDs to the install server's /export/install/boot directory:


# cd /cdrom/sol_8_sparc#2/s0/Solaris_8/Tools
# ./setup_install_server -b /export/install/boot
# cd /cdrom/sol_8_sparc_2#1/Solaris_8/Tools
# ./add_to_install_server /export/install/boot
# cd /cdrom/sol_8_lang_sparc#2/Tools
# ./add_to_install_server /export/install/boot
# cd /cdrom/en_icd_sol_8_sparc/s0
# ./modify_install_server /export/install/boot /cdrom/en_icd_sol_8_sparc/s2

Note -

In this example, each CD is inserted and automatically mounted before and removed after each of the commands shown above.