Create a Boot Environment

If you want to create a backup of an existing boot environment, for example, prior to modifying the original boot environment, you can use the beadm command to create and mount a new boot environment that is a clone of your active boot environment. This clone is listed as an alternate boot environment in the boot menu for SPARC systems.

1. Log in to the target system.

   localsys% ssh systemname -l root
   Password: 
   Last login: Wed Nov 13 20:27:29 2011 from dhcp-vpn-r
   Oracle Corporation SunOS 5.11 solaris April 2011
   root@sup46:~#
    
   

2. Manage ZFS boot environments with beadm.

   root@sup46:~# beadm list
    
   BE       Active    Mountpoint    Space    Policy     Created
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   solaris    NR          /         2.17G    static   2011-07-13 12:01
    
   

   ---

   Note -  In the Active column, the first letter indicates the boot environment current status and the second letter indicates the status at next reboot. In the example above, N indicates the current (or Now) boot environment while the R indicates which boot environment will be active at next Reboot.

   ---

3. Create a new ZFS boot environment based on the current environment.

   root@sup46:~# beadm create solaris_backup
   root@sup46:~# beadm list
    
         BE       Active  Mountpoint Space  Policy     Created
   -----------------------------------------------------------------
   solaris         NR        /       2.17G  static   2011-07-13 12:01
   solaris_backup  -         -       35.0K  static   2011-07-17 21:01
   

4. Change to the next boot environment.

   root@sup46:~# beadm activate solaris_backup
   root@sup46:~# beadm list
    
         BE       Active  Mountpoint Space  Policy     Created
   -----------------------------------------------------------------
   solaris_backup  R         -       2.17G  static   2011-07-17 21:01
   solaris         N        /       1.86G  static   2011-07-13 12:01
   

5. Reboot to the new boot environment.

   root@sup46:~# reboot
   Connection to systemname closed by remote host.
   Connection to systemname closed.
   localsys% ssh systemname -l root
   Password: 
   Last login: Thu Jul 14 14:37:34 2011 from dhcp-vpn-
   Oracle Corporation SunOS 5.11 solaris April 2011
    
   root@sup46:~# beadm list
    
         BE       Active  Mountpoint Space  Policy     Created
   -----------------------------------------------------------------
   solaris_backup  NR        -       2.19G  static   2011-07-17 21:01
   solaris          -        /       4.12G  static   2011-07-13 12:01