Solaris Express Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations

ProcedureTo Create the rules File

The rules file is a text file that contains a rule for each group of systems on which you want to install the Solaris OS. Each rule distinguishes a group of systems that are based on one or more system attributes. Each rule also links each group to a profile. A profile is a text file that defines how the Solaris software is to be installed on each system in the group. For example, the following rule specifies that the JumpStart program use the information in the basic_prof profile to install any system with the sun4u platform group.


karch sun4u - basic_prof -

The rules file is used to create the rules.ok file, which is required for custom JumpStart installations.

For detailed information about how to create a rules file, see Creating the rules File in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Custom JumpStart and Advanced Installations.

To create the rules file, follow these steps.

Before You Begin

Create the profile for the client. See To Create the Profile for detailed instructions.

  1. On the install server, create a text file that is named rules.

  2. Add a rule in the rules file for each group of systems you want to install.

    For detailed information about how to create a rules file, see Creating the rules File in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Custom JumpStart and Advanced Installations.

  3. Save the rules file on the install server.

  4. Validate the rules file.


    $ ./check -p path -r file-name
    
    -p path

    Validates the rules by using the check script from the current Solaris release software image instead of the check script from the system you are using. path is the image on a local disk or a mounted Solaris DVD or a Solaris Software - 1 CD.

    Use this option to run the most recent version of check if your system is running a previous version of the Solaris OS.

    -r file_name

    Specifies a rules file other than the file that is named rules. By using this option, you can test the validity of a rule before you integrate the rule into the rules file.

    As the check script runs, the script reports the checking of the validity of the rules file and each profile. If no errors are encountered, the script reports: The custom JumpStart configuration is ok. The check script creates the rules.ok file.

  5. Save the rules.ok file in a location that is accessible to the WAN boot server.

    Save the file to one of the following locations.

    • If the WAN boot server and install server are hosted on the same machine, save this file to the flash subdirectory of the document root directory on the WAN boot server.

    • If the WAN boot server and install server are not on the same machine, save this file to the flash subdirectory of the document root directory of the install server.

  6. Ensure that root owns the rules.ok file and that the permissions are set to 644.


Example 11–11 Creating and Validating the rules File

The custom JumpStart programs use the rules file to select the correct installation profile for the wanclient-1 system. Create a text file that is named rules. Then, add keywords and values to this file.

The IP address of the client system is 192.168.198.210, and the netmask is 255.255.255.0. Use the network rule keyword to specify the profile that the custom JumpStart programs should use to install the client.


network 192.168.198.0 - wanclient_prof - 

This rules file instructs the custom JumpStart programs to use the wanclient_prof to install the current Solaris release software on the client.

Name this rule file wanclient_rule.

After you create the profile and the rules file, you run the check script to verify that the files are valid.


wanserver# ./check -r wanclient_rule

If the check script does not find any errors, the script creates the rules.ok file.

Save the rules.ok file in the /opt/apache/htdocs/flash/ directory.


Continuing the WAN Boot Installation

After you create the rules.ok file, you can optionally set up begin and finish scripts for your installation. For instructions, see (Optional) Creating Begin and Finish Scripts.

If you do not want to set up begin and finish scripts, see Creating the Configuration Files to continue the WAN boot installation.

See Also

For more information about how to create a rules file, see Creating the rules File in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Custom JumpStart and Advanced Installations.

For more detailed information about rules file keywords and values, see Rule Keywords and Values in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Custom JumpStart and Advanced Installations.