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Solaris Advanced Installation Guide

Chapter 7 Preparing to Install Solaris Software Over the Network

The typical way to install the Solaris software on a system is to use a system's CD-ROM drive. However, if you have systems on a network, you can also install Solaris software on systems over the network instead of using the systems' CD-ROM drives.

Network installations enable you to install the Solaris software from a system that has access to a Solaris CD image, called an install server, to other systems on the network. An install server can either have the Solaris CD image in its CD-ROM drive, or you can copy the Solaris CD to the install server's hard disk. Network installations that use a Solaris CD image copied on an install server's hard disk are usually faster than installations from a CD-ROM drive.

Note -

The name of this product is Solaris 7 but code and path or package path names may use Solaris 2.7 or SunOS 5.7. Always follow the code or path as it is written.

Task Map: Preparing to Install Solaris Software Over the Network

Table 7-1 Task Map: Preparing to Install Solaris Over the Network
 

Task 

 

Description 

 

For Instructions, Go To 

 

Create an Install Server 

 

You can create an install server by copying the Solaris CD to the server's hard disk (setup_install_server command) or by mounting the Solaris CD from its CD-ROM drive.

 

"How to Create an Install Server"

 
        
 

Create Boot Servers 

 

If you want to install systems over the network that are not on the same subnet as the install server, you must create a boot server on the subnet to boot the systems. Use the setup_install_server -b command to create a boot server.

 "How to Create a Boot Server on a Subnet " 
        
 

Set Up Systems to Be Installed Over the Network 

 

Using Solstice Host Manager

Host Manager provides an easy-to-use, graphical user interface that enables you to add network installation information about a system to the name service, so the system can be installed over the network. You should use this tool if you want to use the NIS or NIS+ name service to store the network installation information. 

 "How to Set Up Systems to Be Installed Over the Network With Host Manager" 
  

Using the add_install_client Command

The add_install_client command provides a command-line way to add network installation information about a system to an install or boot server's /etc files, so the system can install over the network.

 "How to Set Up Systems to be Installed Over the Network With add_install_client"  
      

Servers Required for Network Installation

As shown in Figure 7-1, systems that install Solaris software over the network require:

Figure 7-1 Network Installation Servers

Graphic

Network Installation Commands

Table 7-2 lists the commands that you need to use for setting up network installations.

Table 7-2 Network Installation Commands

Command 

Platform 

Description 

add_install_client

All 

A command that adds network installation information about a system to an install or boot server's /etc files, so the system can install over the network.

setup_install_server

All 

A script that copies the Solaris CD to an install server's local disk or copies the boot software to a boot server. See the setup_install_server(1M) man page for more information.

Host Manager

All 

A graphical user interface that is available from within Solstice AdminSuite (solstice). You can use it to add network installation information about a system to the name service, so the system can install over the network.

mount

All 

A command that shows mounted file systems, including the Solaris CD file system. See the mount(1M) page for more information.

uname -i

All 

A command for determining a system's platform name (for example, SUNW,SPARCstation-5). This information is sometimes required during installation. See the uname(1) man page for more information.

patchadd -C install_image

All 

A command to patch the files located on the mini root (i.e. Solaris_2.7/Tools/Boot) on a net install image created by setup_install_server. This enables Solaris installation commands and other mini root-specific commands to be patched. install_image is the absolute pathname of the net install image. See the patchadd(1M) man page for more information.

reset

SPARC 

A command for resetting the terminal settings and display. It is sometimes useful to use reset before booting. Or, if you boot and see a series of error messages about I/O interrupts, press the L1 or STOP and A keys at the same time, and then enter reset at the ok or > PROM prompt.

banner

SPARC 

A command for displaying system information, such as model name, Ethernet address, or memory installed. Available only from the ok or > PROM prompt.

Creating an Install Server and Boot Servers

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:

How to Create an Install Server

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

    This system must have 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 Management. For detailed information about managing CDs without Volume Management, see the System Administration Guide, Volume I.

  2. Insert the Solaris CD into the CD-ROM drive.

    This is the Solaris CD that you want to provide to the systems over the network.

  3. Mount the Solaris CD (if needed).

    Volume management automatically mounts the Solaris CD on /cdrom/cdrom0/s0 or /cdrom/cdrom0/s2.

  4. Determine your next step based on whether or not you want to copy the Solaris CD to the install server's hard disk.

    If You ... 

    Then ... 

    Want to copy the Solaris CD 

    Go to Step 5.

    Do not want to copy the Solaris CD 

    Go to Step 7.

  5. Change directory to the Tools directory on the mounted Solaris CD. 


    # cd Solaris_2.7/Tools

  6. Copy the Solaris CD to the install server's hard disk by using the setup_install_server command.


    # ./setup_install_server install_dir_path

    install_dir_path

    Specifies the directory where the Solaris CD will be copied. The directory must be empty. 

    Note -

    The setup_install_server command indicates if you do not have enough disk space for the Solaris CD. Use the df -kl command to determine available disk space.

    Note -

    After copying the Solaris CD, you can use the patchadd -C command to patch the files located on the mini root (i.e. Solaris_2.7/Tools/Boot)on the net install image created by setup_install_server. This enables Solaris installation commands and other mini root commands to be patched.

  7. Determine your next step based on whether or not the install server is on the same subnet as the system to be installed.

    If Install Server Is ... 

    Then ... 

    On 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

    Follow the steps in "How to Create a Boot Server on a Subnet ". You must complete this procedure when the install server is not on the same subnet as the system to be installed.

Example-Creating an Install Server

The following example creates an install server by copying the Solaris CD to the install server's /export/install directory.


# cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s0/Solaris_2.7/Tools
# ./setup_install_server /export/install

Where to Go Next

The install server is now created. If the install server is not on the same subnet as the system to be installed, go to "How to Create a Boot Server on a Subnet ". To set up systems to be installed from the install server, go to "Setting Up Systems to Be Installed Over the Network".

How 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 that will be the boot server for the subnet, log in and become root.

    This system must have a local CD-ROM drive or have access to a remote Solaris CD image. 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 Management. For detailed information about managing CDs without Volume Management, see the System Administration Guide, Volume I.

  2. Determine your next step based on where you want to access the Solaris CD image from.

    You must use the Solaris CD image of the same release and platform type that is being used to install the systems.

    If You Want To... 

    Then ... 

    Mount the Solaris CD on the boot server's CD-ROM drive 

    1. Insert the Solaris CD into the CD-ROM drive.

    2. Mount the Solaris CD (if needed).

      Note -

      Volume management automatically mounts the Solaris CD on /cdrom/cdrom0/s0 or /cdrom/cdrom0/s2.

    NFS-mount a Solaris CD image from a remote install server 

    1. Mount the Solaris CD image.


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

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

    2. Change directory to the mounted Solaris CD image.


      # cd /mnt

  3. Change directory to the Tools directory on the Solaris CD image. 


    # cd Solaris_2.7/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 will be set up as a boot server. 

    boot_dir_path

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

    Note -

    The setup_install_server command indicates if you do not have enough disk space to copy the platform dependent information. Use the df -kl command to determine available disk space.

Example-Creating a Boot Server on a Subnet

The following example creates a boot server on a subnet by copying the boot software from the Solaris CD image to /export/install/boot on the system's local disk.


# cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s0/Solaris_2.7/Tools
# ./setup_install_server -b /export/install/boot

Where to Go Next

The boot server is now set up to boot supported systems on a subnet. To continue, go to "Setting Up Systems to Be Installed Over the Network".

Setting Up Systems to Be Installed Over the Network

After you've created an install server and possibly a boot server, you are ready to install the Solaris software on other systems over the network. However, to be installed over the network, a system needs to know where to:

Because a system looks for this information in the name service (bootparams database in the /etc files, NIS, or NIS+) when it installs over the network, you must add this information into the name service for every system that is going to be installed over the network. You can do this by using Solstice Host Manager or the add_install_client command.

Note -

If you use the /etc files to store network installation information, the information must reside on the install server or the boot server (if a boot server is required).

How to Set Up Systems to Be Installed Over the Network With Host Manager

You should use Host Manager if you want:

Note -

If you want to preconfigure system configuration information by using a remote sysidcfg file, you must use the add_install_client command to set up systems to be installed over the network.

This procedure assumes that you have already installed Host Manager at your site and have the required permissions to use it. For detailed information about setting up Host Manager, refer to the Host Manager documentation.

  1. Log in to a system that has access to Host Manager.

  2. Start the Solstice AdminSuite with the following command. 


    $ /usr/bin/solstice &

  3. After the Solstice AdminSuite main window appears, click on the Host Manager icon.

  4. On the Host Manager: Select Naming Service screen, select a naming service and click on the OK button. See the sample Naming Service screen below.

    If the Name Service Is ... 

    Then Select ... 

    NIS+ 

    NIS+. Host Manager will update the NIS+ tables. 

    NIS 

    NIS. Host Manager will update the NIS maps. 

    None 

    None. Host Manager will store the information you provide in the /etc files on the appropriate systems. This will provide enough information for systems to boot and to install Solaris software over the network.

    Graphic

  5. On the Host Manager main window, choose Add... from the Edit menu.

  6. On the Host Manager: Add screen, complete all fields and click on the OK or Apply button.

    Graphic

  7. On the Host Manager main window, choose Save Changes from the File menu.

Where to Go Next

The system is now ready to be installed over the network. To install the system, see Chapter 3, Performing a Custom JumpStart Installation.

How to Set Up Systems to be Installed Over the Network With add_install_client

If Host Manager is not available, you can use the add_install_client command to set up systems to be installed over the network. The add_install_client updates only the /etc files.

  1. Become root on the install server (or the boot server if a system requires one).

  2. Make sure the following information about the system to be installed has been added to the name service (/etc files, NIS, or NIS+).

    • Host name

    • IP address

    • Ethernet address

  3. Change directory to the Tools directory on the install server's Solaris CD image or the boot server's boot directory.


    # cd Solaris_2.7/Tools

  4. Set up a system to be installed over the network with the add_install_client command. 


    # ./add_install_client [-c server:jumpstart_dir_path] 
  [-s install_server:install_path] [-p server:path] host_name platform_group

    -c server:jumpstart_dir_path

    Specifies a JumpStart directory for custom JumpStart installations. This option and its arguments are required only 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 CD image.

    -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.

    host_name

    Is the host name of the system to be installed over the network. (This is not the host name of the install server). The host must be in the name service for this command to work. 

    platform group

    Is the platform group of the system to be installed. (For a detailed list of platform groups, see Appendix C, Platform Names and Groups.)

SPARC: Example: Adding Systems to Be Installed Over the Network With add_install_client

The following example adds a system named basil, which is a SPARCstation 10, to be installed over the network. The system requires a boot server, so the command is run on the boot server; the -s option is used to specify the install server named install_server1, which contains a Solaris CD image in /export/install. 


# cd /export/boot/Solaris_2.7/Tools
# ./add_install_client -s install_server1:/export/install basil sun4m

Where to Go Next

The system is now ready to be installed over the network. To install the system, see Chapter 3, Performing a Custom JumpStart Installation.