C H A P T E R  4

Configuring the Preinstalled Oracle Solaris 10 Operating System

This chapter explains the steps for configuring the Oracle Solaris 10 Operating System (OS) that is preinstalled on the hard disk drive or solid state drive, if ordered.



Note - Unlike with SPARC systems, you will not see the output of the preinstalled Oracle Solaris 10 image through a monitor when you power on the server. You will see the BIOS power-on self-test (POST) and other boot information output.


This chapter includes the following topics:


Before You Begin

Before you begin configuring the preinstalled Oracle Solaris 10 OS, do the following:



Note - To identify the MAC address for a server or other chassis components, see the Customer Information Sheet (shipped with the component), or inspect the printed MAC address label attached to the server or chassis component.



Configuring Server RAID Drives

Configuring server RAID drives is not a supported feature with the preinstalled version of the Oracle Solaris 10 OS. If you need to configure your drives in a RAID configuration, see the Oracle Solaris 10 OS installation instructions in the Sun Netra X6270 M2 Server Module Installation Guide for Linux, Virtual Machine Software, and Oracle Solaris Operating Systems, 821-0940.


Installation Worksheet

Use the worksheet in TABLE 4-1 to gather the information that you need to configure the preinstalled Oracle Solaris 10 OS. You only need to collect the information that applies to your application of the system.


TABLE 4-1 Worksheet for Oracle Solaris 10 OS Configuration

Information for Installation

Description or Example

Your Answers:
Defaults (*)

Language

Select from the list of available languages for the Oracle Solaris 10 software.

English*

Locale

Select your geographic region from the list of available locales.

 

Terminal

Select the type of terminal that you are using from the list of available terminal types.

 

Network connection

Is the system connected to a network?

  • Networked
  • Non-networked*

DHCP

Can the system use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to configure its network interfaces?

  • Yes
  • No*

If you are not using DHCP, note the network address:

IP address

If you are not using DHCP, supply the IP address for the system.

Example: 129.200.9.1

 

Subnet

If you are not using DHCP, is the system part of a subnet?

If yes, what is the netmask of the subnet?

Example: 255.255.0.0

255.255.0.0*

IPv6

Do you want to enable IPv6 on this machine?

  • Yes
  • No*

Host name

The host name chosen for your system.

 

Kerberos

Do you want to configure Kerberos security on this machine?

If yes, gather this information:

Default realm:

Administration server:

First KDC:

(Optional) Additional KDCs:

  • Yes
  • No*

 

Name service

Name service

If applicable, which name service should this system use?

  • NIS+
  • NIS
  • DNS
  • LDAP
  • None*

Domain name

Provide the name of the domain in which the system resides.

 

NIS+ and NIS

If you chose NIS+ or NIS, do you want to specify a name server, or let the installation program find one?

  • Specify One
  • Find One*

DNS

If you chose DNS, provide IP addresses for the DNS server. You must enter at least one IP address, but you can enter up to three addresses.

You can also enter a list of domains to search when a DNS query is made.

Search domain:

Search domain:

Search domain:

 

LDAP

If you chose LDAP, provide the following information about your LDAP profile:

Profile name:

Profile server:

If you specify a proxy credential level in your LDAP profile, gather the following information:

Proxy-bind distinguished name:

Proxy-bind password:

 

Default route

Do you want to specify a default route IP address, or let the Oracle Solaris installation program find one?

The default route provides a bridge that forwards traffic between two physical networks. An IP address is a unique number that identifies each host on a network.

You have the following choices:

  • You can specify the IP address. An /etc/defaultrouter file is created with the specified IP address. When the system is rebooted, the specified IP address becomes the default route.
  • You can let the Oracle Solaris installation program detect an IP address. However, the system must be on a subnet that has a router that advertises itself by using the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) for router discovery. If you are using the command-line interface, the software detects an IP address when the system is booted.
  • You can select None if you do not have a router or do not want the software to detect an IP address at this time. The software automatically tries to detect an IP address on reboot.
  • Specify One
  • Detect One
  • None*

Time zone

How do you want to specify your default time zone?

  • Geographic region*
  • Offset from GM
  • Time zone file

Root password

Choose a root password for the system.

 



Configuring the Preinstalled Oracle Solaris 10 Operating System



Note - Before you perform this procedure, you need to set up the IP address of the service processor. If you have not done so, see Chapter 3.


After setting up the IP address of the service processor (SP), you can configure the preinstalled Oracle Solaris 10 Operating System (OS) over the network by using Secure Shell (SSH) or locally using the SER MGT port to connect to the system console.

Use the information that you gathered in Installation Worksheet as you perform the configuration.


procedure icon  Accessing the System Over the Network

1. Using a Secure Shell, log in to ILOM by specifying the root user account or your Administrator account user name, the IP address of the server SP, and the password for the user account.

The following example shows how to log in to ILOM using the root user account and its default password, changeme.


$ ssh root@host
Password: changeme

Where host is either an IP address or a hostname (when using DNS).

ILOM displays the default command-line prompt (->), indicating that you have successfully logged in to ILOM.

2. Verify that the communication properties of the service processor are set to the defaults. Type the following command:

 

-> show /SP/serial/host
/SP/serial/host
    Targets:
 
    Properties:
        commitpending = (Cannot show property)
        pendingspeed = 9600
        speed = 9600
 
    Commands:
       cd
       show



Note - If the speed is anything other than 9600, change it using this command:
-> set /SP/serial/host pendingspeed=9600 commitpending=true


3. Start the serial console. Type the following command and answer the prompt:


-> start /SP/console
Are you sure you want to start /SP/console (y/n)? y
Serial console started.

You are now connected to the server module host.


procedure icon  Accessing the System Locally

1. Use a cable to connect the SER MGT port on the server module to the serial port of the client system.

2. To access the system console, start a terminal session using one of the following methods:

Type the appropriate command to start a terminal session. For example, you can start a terminal session on a Oracle Solaris console by typing:

$tip -9600 /dev/ttya

Open the appropriate program to start a terminal session. For example, you can start a terminal session on a Windows console by selecting:

Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Communications -> Hyperterminal

Type the appropriate command to start a terminal session. For example, to start a terminal session on a Linux console, you could launch Minicom.

Minicom is a text-based serial communication program that is included in the Linux distributions. For more information, see the man pages included in the Linux distribution.

3. Press Enter on the terminal device to connect the terminal device to the ILOM SP.

ILOM displays its login prompt.



Note - If you connect to the serial port on the server before the ILOM SP has been powered on or during the power-on sequence, SP boot messages might be displayed prior to the ILOM login prompt.


4. Type your user name and password to log in to the ILOM SP.

The default user name is root and its default password is changeme.

ILOM displays its default command-line prompt (->).

5. Verify that the communication properties of the service processor are set to the defaults. Type the following command:


-> show /SP/serial/host
/SP/serial/host
    Targets:
 
    Properties:
        commitpending = (Cannot show property)
        pendingspeed = 9600
        speed = 9600
 
    Commands:
       cd
       show



Note - If the speed is anything other than 9600, change it using this command:
-> set /SP/serial/host pendingspeed=9600 commitpending=true


6. Start the serial console. Type the following command and answer the prompt:

 

-> start /SP/console
Are you sure you want to start /SP/console (y/n)? y
Serial console started.

You are now connected to the server module host.


procedure icon  Configure the Preinstalled Oracle Solaris 10 OS

1. Press the recessed Power button on the front panel to apply main power to the server.

For additional information about powering on your server, see Powering On the Server Module.

POST messages appear on your screen as the OS boots up.

2. (Optional) When the POST completes, you can choose to redirect the console output to the video port.

For instructions, see (Optional) Redirect the Console Output to the Video Port.

3. Follow the Oracle Solaris 10 preinstallation on-screen prompts.

4. Use the information gathered in Installation Worksheet to help you enter the system and network information as you are prompted.

The screens that are displayed will vary, depending on the method that you chose for assigning network information to the server (DHCP or static IP address).

After you have entered the system configuration information, the server completes the boot process and displays the Oracle Solaris login prompt.


procedure icon  (Optional) Redirect the Console Output to the Video Port

The server module’s console is automatically directed to the serial port. However, you can choose to direct the serial console to the video port using the GRUB menu. GRUB is the open source boot loader. It is the default boot loader in the Oracle Solaris OS for x86-based systems. The boot loader is the first software program that runs after you power on a system.

To redirect the console output to the video port, follow these steps:

1. Power on the server and observe the POST messages.

When the POST completes, the GRUB menu appears.

From the GRUB menu, you have the option of displaying the installation process to a tty connection (serial port) or a VGA connection (video port) as shown in FIGURE 4-1.

FIGURE 4-1


GRUB Menu screenshot

2. To display output to the video port, choose the following option:

Solaris 10 10/09 s10x_u8wos_u08a X86 - Graphics Adapter


procedure icon  (Optional) Modify the GRUB Menu to Auto Boot

The GRUB menu on the preinstall image is configured for an infinite timeout to enable you to choose the console output on power-up. You can modify this configuration so that the system boots automatically.

To modify the GRUB menu so that the system boots automatically, follow these steps:

1. From the GRUB menu, press e to enter edit mode.

2. Edit the /rpool/boot/grub/menu.1st file by changing the -1 value on the timeout line to the duration that you want the menu to be presented.

For example, for a 10-second delay, change the timeout value to 10.

3. Add a line that specifies the default boot entry.

For example, to specify the first entry, add default 10.


Oracle Solaris 10 Operating System User Information

This section provides pointers to information about the Oracle Solaris 10 Operating System.

Oracle Solaris 10 User Documentation

Oracle Solaris 10 OS documentation is available from the web at:

http://docs.sun.com

Select Solaris 10 to display the list of documents in the Solaris 10 Documentation Collection. Be sure to follow instructions specific to x86 systems, where they are specified.

Oracle Solaris 10 documentation is also available on the Solaris Documentation DVD included with your Oracle Solaris OS software.


Using the Oracle Solaris Installation Program

The Oracle Solaris Installation Program on the Solaris 10 OS DVD can be run with a graphical user interface (GUI) or as an interactive text installer in a remote console. The Oracle Solaris Device Configuration Assistant is included in the Solaris Installation Program.

Follow the instructions for x86-based systems, not SPARC-based systems. For more information, see the Solaris 10 Release and Installation Collection for the version of the Oracle Solaris 10 Operating System you have installed. This documentation is available at:

http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/prod/solaris.10

After you configure the preinstalled Oracle Solaris OS, the Installation Program reboots the system and prompts you to log in. The system displays the message of the day, indicating the preloaded software that comes with your system.


Reinstalling the Oracle Solaris Operating System

If you want to reinstall the Oracle Solaris OS on Oracle’s Sun Netra X6270 M2 server module, or to install a different version of the Oracle Solaris OS, refer to the Solaris 10 Installation Guide: Basic Installations, 820-0176.

Download the Oracle Solaris Operating System

You can download software for the Oracle Solaris OS from the following sites:

http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/get.jsp

http://www.oracle.com/goto/netrax6270m2