System Requirements and Recommendations
The following tables list basic system requirements to install the Oracle Solaris OS.
Table 1-1 Memory, Swap, and Processor Recommendations
|
|
Memory
to install or upgrade |
- For UFS or ZFS root file systems, 1.5 GB is the minimum memory required for installation.
However, note that some optional installation features are enabled only when sufficient memory is present. For example, if you install from a DVD with insufficient memory, you install through the Oracle Solaris installation program's text installer, not through the GUI. For more information about these memory requirements, see Table 1-2.
In previous Oracle Solaris releases, you could not install and boot the Oracle Solaris OS from a disk that was greater than 1 TB in size. Starting with the Oracle Solaris 10 10/09 release, you can install and boot the Oracle Solaris OS from a disk that is up to 2 TB in size. Starting with the Oracle Solaris 10 10/09 release, you can use the VTOC label on a disk of any size, but the addressable space by the VTOC is limited to 2 TB. This feature allows disks that are larger than 2 TB to be used as boot drives, but the usable space from the label is limited to 2 TB.
Note - This feature is only available on systems that run a 64-bit kernel. A minimum of 1.5 GB of memory is required for x86 based systems.
For detailed information, see Two-Terabyte Disk Support for Installing and Booting the Oracle Solaris OS in System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems.
|
Swap area |
Note - You might need to customize the swap space.
Swap space is based on the size of the system's hard disk.
|
Processor requirements |
|
|
Oracle Solaris Installation Program GUI or Text Installer Requirements
The Oracle Solaris installation program on the Oracle Solaris Operating System DVD
or Oracle Solaris Software - 1 CD can be run with a
graphical user interface (GUI) or as an interactive text installer in a desktop
or console session. For x86 based systems, the Solaris Device Configuration Assistant is
included in the Oracle Solaris installation program.
-
GUI – The Oracle Solaris installation GUI provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and iconic images to enable you to interact with the installation program. The GUI requires a local or remote DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, video adapter, keyboard, monitor, and enough memory. For more information about these memory requirements, see Table 1-2.
-
Text installer – The Oracle Solaris interactive text installer enables you to type information in a terminal or console window to interact with the installation program. You can run the text installer in a desktop session with a windowing environment, or in a console session. The text installer requires a local or remote DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive or network connection, keyboard, and monitor. You can run the Oracle Solaris installation text installer with the tip command. For more information, see the man page, tip(1).
You can choose to install the software with a GUI or with or
without a windowing environment. If there is sufficient memory, the GUI is displayed
by default. Other environments are displayed by default if memory is insufficient for
the GUI. You can override defaults with the nowin or text boot options, but,
you are limited by the amount of memory in your system or
if you install remotely. Also, if the Oracle Solaris installation program does not detect
a video adapter, it automatically displays in a console-based environment.
For both the text-based and GUI-based installation methods, the minimal memory requirement is
1.5 GB or greater. The types of installation are as follows:
-
Text-based – Contains no graphics, but provides a window and the ability to open other windows.
If you install by using the text boot option and the system has enough memory, you are installing in a windowing environment. If you are installing remotely through a tip line or using the nowin boot option, you are limited to the console-based installation.
-
GUI-based – Provides windows, pull-down menus, buttons, scrollbars, and iconic images.
You can also specify the installer you want to use during the
installation by entering a selection or special command at a prompt. For instructions, see
the procedures in Chapter 2, Installing With the Oracle Solaris Installation Program For UFS File Systems (Tasks).
General Disk Space Planning and Recommendations
Planning disk space is different for everyone. The following table list some conditions
and considerations for allocating space.
Table 1-2 General Disk Space and Swap Space Planning
|
|
For UFS file systems |
For each
file system that you create, allocate an additional 30 percent more disk space
than you need to enable you to upgrade to future Oracle Solaris versions.
By default, the Oracle Solaris installation methods create only root (/) and /swap.
When space is allocated for OS services, the /export directory is also created. If
you are upgrading to a major Oracle Solaris release, you might need
to reslice your system or allocate double the space that you need at
installation time. If you are upgrading to an update, you could prevent having
to reslice your system by allocating extra disk space for future upgrades. An
Oracle Solaris update release needs approximately 10 percent more disk space than the previous
release. You can allocate an additional 30 percent of disk space for each
file system to allow space for several Oracle Solaris updates.
Note - In previous Oracle
Solaris releases, you could not install and boot the Oracle Solaris OS from
a disk that was greater than 1 TB in size. Starting with the Oracle Solaris 10 10/09 release, you can
install and boot the Oracle Solaris OS from a disk that is
up to 2 TB in size. Starting with the Oracle Solaris 10 10/09 release, you can use the VTOC label on
a disk of any size, but the addressable space by the VTOC is
limited to 2 TB. This feature allows disks that are larger than 2
TB to be used as boot drives, but the usable space from the
label is limited to 2 TB. This feature is available only on systems that
run a 64-bit kernel. A minimum of 1.5 GB of memory is required
for x86 based systems. For detailed information, see Two-Terabyte Disk Support for Installing and Booting the Oracle Solaris OS in System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems.
|
The /var file system for
UFS file systems |
If you intend to use the crash dump feature savecore(1M),
allocate double the amount of your physical memory in the /var file system. |
Swap |
For a UFS
file system, the Oracle Solaris installation program allocates a default swap area of
512 MB under the following conditions:
By default, the Oracle Solaris installation programs
allocate swap space by placing swap so that it starts at the first
available disk cylinder (typically cylinder 0 on SPARC based systems). This placement provides
maximum space for the root (/) file system during the default disk layout
and enables the growth of the root (/) file system during an
upgrade.
If you think you might need to expand the swap area
in the future, you can place the swap slice so that it starts
at another disk cylinder by using one of the following methods:
For an overview
of swap space, see Chapter 16, Configuring Additional Swap Space (Tasks), in System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems. |
A server that is providing home directory file
systems |
By default, home directories are usually located in the /export file system. |
The Oracle
Solaris software group you are installing |
A software group is a grouping of
software packages. When you are planning disk space, remember that you can add
or remove individual software packages from the software group that you select. For
information about software groups, see Disk Space Recommendations for Software Groups. |
Upgrade |
|
Language support |
If you plan to install a
single language, allocate approximately 0.7 GB of additional disk space for the language.
If you plan to install support for all languages, you need
to allocate up to approximately 2.5 GB of additional disk space depending on
the software group you install. |
Printing or mail support |
Allocate additional space. |
Additional software
or third-party software |
Allocate additional space. |
|
Disk Space Recommendations for Software Groups
The Oracle Solaris software groups are collections of Oracle Solaris packages. Each software
group includes support for different functions and hardware drivers.
-
For an initial installation, you select the software group to install based on the functions that you want to perform on the system.
-
For an upgrade, you must upgrade to a software group that is installed on the system. For example, if you previously installed the End User Oracle Solaris Software Group on your system, you cannot use the upgrade option to upgrade to the Developer Oracle Solaris Software Group. However, during the upgrade, you can add software to the system that is not part of the currently installed software group.
When you are installing the Oracle Solaris software, you can choose to add
or remove packages from the Oracle Solaris software group that you selected.
When you are selecting which packages to add or remove, you need to
know about software dependencies and how the Oracle Solaris software is packaged.
The following figure shows the grouping of software packages. Reduced Network Support contains
the minimal number of packages and Entire Oracle Solaris Software Group Plus OEM
Support contains all the packages.
Figure 1-1 Oracle Solaris Software Groups
Table 1-3 lists the Oracle Solaris software groups and the recommended amount of disk
space that you need to install each group. The disk space recommendations in
the table include space for the following items:
You might find that the software groups require less disk space than the
amount that is listed.
For additional information about how to plan your disk space, see Allocating Disk and Swap Space in Oracle Solaris 10 1/13 Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade.
Table 1-3 Disk Space Recommendations for Software Groups
|
|
|
Entire Oracle Solaris Software Group Plus OEM Support |
Contains the packages
for the Entire Oracle Solaris Software Group plus additional hardware drivers, including drivers
for hardware that is not on the system at the time of installation. |
8575
MB |
Entire Oracle Solaris Software Group |
Contains the packages for the Developer Oracle Solaris
Software Group and additional software that is needed for servers. |
8529 MB |
Developer Oracle Solaris
Software Group |
Contains the packages for the End User Oracle Solaris Software
Group plus additional support for software development. The additional software development support includes libraries,
include files, man pages, and programming tools. Compilers are not included. |
8336 MB |
End User
Oracle Solaris Software Group |
Contains the packages that provide the minimum code that
is required to boot and run a networked Oracle Solaris system and the
Common Desktop Environment. |
7074 MB |
Core System Support Software Group |
Contains the packages that provide
the minimum code that is required to boot and run a networked Oracle
Solaris system. |
3093 MB |
Reduced Network Support Software Group |
Contains the packages that provide the
minimum code that is required to boot and run an Oracle Solaris system
with limited network service support. The Reduced Network Support Software Group provides a
multiuser text-based console and system administration utilities. This software group also enables the
system to recognize network interfaces, but does not activate network services. |
3035 MB |
|