How to Add Systems to Be Installed From the Network With add_install_client From DVD Media

You use the add_install_client(1M) command to set up systems to be installed from the network. You need to run this command on the install server and the boot server if a boot server is required.

The add_install_client command updates only the /etc files.

In this procedure host1 is the install server and host2 is boot server.

1. On the install server, host1, become superuser.

2. If you use the NIS or NIS+ name service, verify that the following information about the system to be installed has been added to the name service in the /etc files:

   • Host name

   • IP address

   • Ethernet address

3. Change to the Tools directory on the Solaris 8 DVD image on the install server:

   host1# cd Solaris_8/Tools

4. Use the add_install_client command to set up a system to be installed from the network:

   host1# ./add_install_client [[-d]] [[-c server:jumpstart_dir_path]] \ [[-p server:path]] client_name platform_group

   -d	Specifies that the client is to use DHCP to obtain the network install parameters.  For IA clients, use this option to boot the systems from the network using PXE network boot.
   -c server:jumpstart_dir_path	Specifies a JumpStart directory for custom JumpStart installations. server is the host name of the server on which the JumpStart directory is located. jumpstart_dir_path is the absolute path to the JumpStart directory.
   -p server:path	Specifies the sysidcfg file for preconfiguring system information. server is either a valid host name or IP address for the server that contains the file. path is the absolute path to the sysidcfg file.
   client_name	Is the name of the system to be installed from the network. This name is not the host name of the install server. The client must be in the name service for this command to work.
   platform_group	Is the platform group of the system to be installed. For more information, see Chapter 37, Platform Names and Groups.

5. Decide if you need to run the command on a boot server.

   • If a boot server is not required, you are finished.

   • If a boot server is required, continue.

6. On the boot server, host2, become superuser.

7. Change to the Tools directory on the Solaris 8 DVD image on the boot server's boot directory:

   host2# cd Solaris_8/Tools

8. Use the add_install_client command to set up a system to boot from the boot server and to be installed from the network:

   host2# ./add_install_client [[-d]] [[-c server:jumpstart_dir_path]] \ -s install_server:install_dir_path [[-p server:path]] client_name platform_group

   -d	Specifies that the client is to use DHCP to obtain the network install parameters.  For IA clients, use this option to boot the systems from the network by using PXE network boot.
   -c server:jumpstart_dir_path	Specifies a JumpStart directory for custom JumpStart installations. server is the host name of the server on which the JumpStart directory is located. jumpstart_dir_path is the absolute path to the JumpStart directory.
   -s install_server:install_dir_path	Specifies the install server. This option is required only when you are using add_install_client on a boot server. install_server is the host name of the install server. install_dir_path is the absolute path to the Solaris 8 DVD image for your platform.
   -p server:path	Specifies the sysidcfg file for preconfiguring system information. server is either a valid host name or IP address for the server that contains the file. path is the absolute path to the sysidcfg file.
   client_name	Is the name of the system to be installed from the network. This name is not the host name of the install server. The client must be in the name service for this command to work.
   platform_group	Is the platform group of the system to be installed. For more information, see Chapter 37, Platform Names and Groups.

Example 11–6 SPARC: Adding SPARC Systems to Be Installed From the Network With add_install_client

The following example illustrates how to add a system that is named basil, which is a Ultra^TM 5, to be installed from the network. The system requires a boot server, so the command is run on the install server and is run again on the boot server. The -s option is used to specify the install server that is named install_server1, which contains a Solaris 8 SPARC Platform Edition DVD image in export/home/s8dvdsparc.

host1# cd /export/install/boot/Solaris_8/Tools
host1# ./add_install_client basil sun4u
host2# cd /export/install/boot/Solaris_8/Tools
host2# ./add_install_client -s install_server1:/export/home/s8dvdsparc basil sun4u

Example 11–7 x86: Adding IA Systems to Be Installed From the Network With add_install_client

The following example illustrates how to set up IA systems to be booted and installed from the network by using the DHCP protocol. The -d option is used to specify that clients are to use the DHCP protocol for configuration. If you plan to use PXE network boot, you must use the DHCP protocol. The DHCP class name SUNW.i86pc indicates that this command applies to all Solaris IA network boot clients, not just a single client. The -s option is used to specify that the clients are to be installed from the install server that is named install_server1, which contains a Solaris 8 Intel Platform Edition DVD image in /export/home/s8dvdia:

# cd /export/boot/Solaris_8/Tools
# ./add_install_client -d -s install_server1:/export/home/s8dvdia SUNW.i86pc i86pc