Advantages of Preconfiguring System Configuration Information

The installation methods require configuration information about a system, such as peripheral devices, host name, Internet Protocol (IP) address, and name service. Before the installation tools prompt you for configuration information, they check for the information in the sysidcfg file and then in the name service databases.

When the Solaris Web Start program detects preconfigured system information, the Solaris Web Start program displays the configuration information in the installation wizard panels. You can accept the values that are displayed or you can enter different values.

When the Solaris 8 Interactive Installation Program or the custom JumpStart installation program detects preconfigured system information, the installation program does not prompt you to enter the information. For example, you have several systems and you do not want a time zone prompt every time you install the Solaris 8 software on one of the systems. You can specify the time zone in the sysidcfg file or the name service databases. When you install the Solaris 8 software, the installation tool does not prompt you to type a time zone.