What Is Solaris Web Start?

Solaris Web Start is Sun's web browser-based "virtual assistant" for installing software.

Through Solaris Web Start, you can easily select and install all the software your machine requires, including the Solaris software group, Solstice^TM utilities, and other co-packaged software.

Use Solaris Web Start to select exactly the software combination to suit your needs, or just click the Default Installation... button to install the default software selections immediately.

How Does Solaris Web Start Work?

Solaris Web Start lets you choose the product box software you want to install on your machine and creates a profile that reflects your software selections (or the default selections).

Solaris Web Start uses the Solaris JumpStart^TM utility to read the profile automatically, thus installing the Solaris software and the other selected software products with minimal intervention.

Solaris Web Start runs in a portable, web browser-based environment. This means you can run Solaris Web Start from a web browser on any desktop platform networked to your server.

If you're setting up a machine that includes a frame buffer, keyboard, and monitor, you can run Solaris Web Start directly from that machine.

Modes of Operation

There are two ways to use Solaris Web Start:

• Local Mode

• Client-Server Mode

Local Mode - If you run Solaris Web Start from the machine you're setting up, Solaris Web Start writes the profile to disk and uses that profile information when you select and confirm the Install Now option. Your computer system must include a CD-ROM drive, frame buffer, keyboard, and monitor if you are to use this mode.

Client-Server Mode - In this mode, Solaris Web Start still runs on the machine being configured, but Java^TM applets in Solaris Web Start interact with you on your desktop web-browser. Client-server mode is useful for installing software on a so-called "headless server," which does not include a frame buffer for bitmapped graphics.