Solaris 9 Installation Guide

Preconfiguring With the sysidcfg File

You can specify a set of keywords in the sysidcfg file to preconfigure a system. The keywords are described in Table 7–2.

You must create a unique sysidcfg file for every system that requires different configuration information. You can use the same sysidcfg file to preconfigure the time zone on a set of systems if you want all the systems to be assigned the same time zone. However, if you want to preconfigure a different root (superuser) password for each of those systems, you need to create a unique sysidcfg file for each system.

You can place the sysidcfg file in one of the following.


Note –

If you are performing a custom JumpStart installation and you want to use a sysidcfg file on a diskette, you must place the sysidcfg file on the profile diskette. To create a profile diskette, see Creating a Profile Diskette for Standalone Systems.


You can place only one sysidcfg file in a directory or on a diskette. If you are creating more than one sysidcfg file, you must place each file in a different directory or on a different diskette.

Syntax Rules for the sysidcfg File

You can use two types of keywords in the sysidcfg file: independent and dependent. Dependent keywords are guaranteed to be unique only within independent keywords. A dependent keyword exists only when it is identified with its associated independent keyword.

In this example, name_service is the independent keyword, while domain_name and name_server are the dependent keywords:

name_service=NIS {domain_name=marquee.central.sun.com
name_server=connor(129.152.112.3)}

Syntax Rule 

Example 

Independent keywords can be listed in any order. 

pointer=MS-S
display=ati {size=15-inch}

Keywords are not case sensitive. 

TIMEZONE=US/Central
terminal=PC Console

Enclose all dependent keywords in curly braces ({}) to tie them to their associated independent keyword. 

name_service=NIS 
       {domain_name=marquee.central.sun.com
        name_server=connor(129.152.112.3)}

You can optionally enclosed values in single (`) or double quotes (“). 

network_interface='none'

Only one instance of a keyword is valid. However, if you specify the keyword more than once, only the first instance of the keyword is used. 

network_interface=none
network_interface=le0

sysidcfg File Keywords

The following table describes the keywords you can use in the sysidcfg file.

Table 7–2 Keywords You Can Use in sysidcfg

Configuration Information 

Keywords 

Values or Examples 

Name service, domain name, name server 

name_service=NIS, NIS+, DNS, LDAP, NONE

 
  

Options for NIS and NIS+: {domain_name=domain_name name_server=hostname(ip_address)}

name_service=NIS {domain_name=west.arp.com name_server=timber(129.221.2.1)}

name_service=NIS+ {domain_name=west.arp.com. name_server=timber(129.221.2.1)}

 

Options for DNS: {domain_name=domain_name name_server=ip_address,ip_address, ip_address (three maximum) search=domain_name,domain_name,domain_name,domain_name,domain_name, domain_name (six maximum, total length less than or equal to 250 characters)}

name_service=DNS {domain_name=west.arp.com name_server=10.0.1.10,10.0.1.20 search=arp.com,east.arp.com}


Note –

Choose only one value for name_service. Include either, both, or neither the domain_name and name_server keywords, as needed. If neither keyword is used, omit the curly braces {}.


 

Options for LDAP: {domain_name=domain_name profile=profile_name profile_server=ip_address proxy_dn="proxy_bind_dn" proxy_password=password}

name_service=LDAP 
{domain_name=west.arp.com 
profile=default 
profile_server=129.221.2.1 
proxy_dn="cn=proxyagent,ou=profile,
dc=west,dc=arp,dc=com" 
proxy_password=password}


Note –

The proxy_dn and proxy_password keywords are optional. The proxy_dn value must be enclosed in double quotes.


Network interface, host name, Internet Protocol (IP) address, netmask, DHCP, IPv6 

network_interface=NONE, PRIMARY, or value

  • NONE turns off networking.

  • PRIMARY is the first up, non-loopback interface that is found on the system. The order is the same as with “ifconfig.” If no interfaces are up, then the first non-loopback interface is used. If no non-loopback interfaces are found, then the system is set to NON-NETWORKED.

  • value specifies an interface such as le0 or hme0.

  If DHCP is to be used, specify: {dhcp protocol_ipv6=yes_or_no}

network_interface=primary {dhcp protocol_ipv6=yes}

 

If DHCP is not to be used, specify: {hostname=host_name default_route=ip_address or NONE ip_address=ip_address netmask=netmask protocol_ipv6=yes_or_no}


Note –

If you do not use DHCP, you are not required to specify protocol_ipv6=yes and default_route. But, take note of the following issues.

  • A JumpStart installation requires protocol_ipv6 to be specified now or you are prompted interactively later.

  • If default_route is not specified and one can not be detected using the ICMP router discovery protocol, you are prompted to choose a route.


network_interface=le0 {hostname=feron default_route=129.146.88.1 ip_address=129.146.88.210 netmask=255.255.0.0 protocol_ipv6=no}


Note –

Choose only one value for network_interface. Include any combination or none of the hostname, ip_address, and netmask keywords, as needed. If you do not use any of these keywords, omit the curly braces ({}).


Root password 

root_password=root_password

Encrypted from /etc/shadow.

Security policy 

security_policy=kerberos, NONE

Options for Kerberos: {default_realm=FQDN admin_server=FQDN kdc=FQDN1, FQDN2, FQDN3}

(FQDN is a fully qualified domain name)

security_policy=kerberos 
{default_realm=Yoursite.COM 
admin_server=krbadmin.Yoursite.COM 
kdc=kdc1.Yoursite.COM, 
kdc2.Yoursite.COM}


Note –

You can list a maximum of three key distribution centers (KDCs), but at least one is required.


Language in which to display the install program and desktop 

system_locale=locale

The /usr/lib/locale directory or Appendix D, Locale Values (Reference) provides the valid locale values.

Terminal type 

terminal=terminal_type

The subdirectories in the /usr/share/lib/terminfo directory provide the valid terminal values.

Time zone 

timezone=timezone

The directories and files in the /usr/share/lib/zoneinfo directory provide the valid time zone values. The time zone value is the name of the path relative to the /usr/share/lib/zoneinfo directory. For example, the time zone value for mountain standard time in the United States is US/Mountain. The time zone value for Japan is Japan. You can also specify any valid Olson time zone.

Date and time 

timeserver=localhost, hostname, ip_addr

If you specify localhost as the time server, the system's time is assumed to be correct. If you are not running a name service and you specify the hostname or ip_addr of a system, that system's time is used to set the time.

x86: Monitor type 

monitor=monitor_type

On the system you want to install, run kdmconfig -d filename. Append output to sysidcfg file.

x86: Keyboard language, keyboard layout 

keyboard=keyboard_language {layout=value}

On the system you want to install, run kdmconfig -d filename. Append output to sysidcfg file.

x86: Graphics card, screen size, color depth, display resolution 

display=graphics_card {size=screen_size depth=color_depth resolution=screen_resolution}

On the system you want to install, run kdmconfig -d filename. Append output to sysidcfg file.

x86: Pointing device, number of buttons, IRQ level 

pointer=pointing_device {nbuttons=number_buttons irq=value}

On the system you want to install, run kdmconfig -d filename. Append output to sysidcfg file.

To Create a sysidcfg Configuration File

  1. Using a text editor, create a file called sysidcfg.

  2. Type the sysidcfg keywords you want.

  3. Save the sysidcfg file.


    Note –

    If you create more than one sysidcfg file, you must save each one in a separate directory or on a separate diskette.


  4. Make the sysidcfg file available to clients through the following:

    • A shared NFS file system. Use add_install_client(1M) with the -p option to set up the system to install from the network.

    • The root (/) directory on a UFS disketteor PCFS diskette.

SPARC: Example sysidcfg File

The following is an example of a sysidcfg filefor a group of SPARC based systems. The host names, IP addresses, and netmask of these systems have been preconfigured by editing the name service. Because all of the system configuration information is preconfigured in this file, you can use a custom JumpStart profile to perform a custom JumpStart installation.

system_locale=en_US
timezone=US/Central
terminal=sun-cmd
timeserver=localhost
name_service=NIS {domain_name=marquee.central.sun.com
                  name_server=connor(129.152.112.3)}
root_password=m4QPOWNY
network_interface=le0 {hostname=feron 
                       default_route=129.146.88.1 
                       ip_address=129.146.88.210 
                       netmask=255.255.0.0 
                       protocol_ipv6=no}
security_policy=kerberos {default_realm=Yoursite.COM 
                          admin_server=krbadmin.Yoursite.COM 
                          kdc=kdc1.Yoursite.COM, 
                          kdc2.Yoursite.COM}

x86: Example sysidcfg File

The following is an example of a sysidcfg file for a group of x86 based systems that all use the same type of keyboard, graphics cards, and pointing devices. The device information (keyboard, display, and pointer) was obtained by running the kdmconfig(1M) command with the -d option. If the following example sysidcfg file is used, a prompt that asks you to select a language (system_locale) is displayed before installation can proceed.

keyboard=ATKBD {layout=US-English}
display=ati {size=15-inch}
pointer=MS-S
timezone=US/Central
timeserver=connor
terminal=ibm-pc
name_service=NIS {domain_name=marquee.central.sun.com
                  name_server=connor(129.152.112.3)}
root_password=URFUni9