Installing Flash Archives on a Boot Environment

This section provides the procedure for using Live Upgrade to install Flash Archives. Installing a Flash Archive overwrites all files on the new boot environment except for shared files. Archives are stored on the following media:

• HTTP server

• FTP server – Use this path from the command line only

• NFS server

• Local file

• Local tape

• Local device, including DVD or CD

Note the following issues with installing and creating a Flash Archive.

When you install the Oracle Solaris OS with a flash archive, the archive and the installation media must contain identical OS versions. If the OS versions do not match, the installation on the target system fails. Identical operating systems are necessary when you use the following keyword or command:

• archive_location keyword in a profile

• luupgrade command with the -s, -a, -j, and -J options

A flash archive cannot be properly created when a non-global zone is installed. The Solaris Flash feature is not compatible with the Oracle Solaris Zones feature. If you create a Flash Archive in a non-global zone or create an archive in a global zone that has non-global zones installed, the resulting archive does not install properly when the archive is deployed. For example, if the archive is the Oracle Solaris 10 operating system and you are using DVD media, then you must use Oracle Solaris 10 DVD media to install the archive.

For examples of the correct syntax for paths that are associated with archive storage, see archive_location Keyword in Oracle Solaris 10 1/13 Installation Guide: JumpStart Installations.

To use the Flash Archive installation feature, you install a master system and create the flash archive. For more information about creating an archive, see Chapter 3, Creating Flash Archives (Tasks), in Oracle Solaris 10 1/13 Installation Guide: Flash Archives (Creation and Installation).

How to Install a Flash Archive on a Boot Environment

1. Install the Live Upgrade SUNWlucfg, SUNWlur, and SUNWluu packages on your system.

   These packages must be from the release you are upgrading to. For a step-by-step procedure, see How to Install Live Upgrade With the pkgadd Command.

2. Install from the flash archive.

   # luupgrade -f -n BE-name -s os-image-path -a archive

   -f

   Indicates to install an operating system from a Flash Archive.

   -n BE-name

   Specifies the name of the boot environment that is to be installed with an archive.

   -s os-image-path

   Specifies the path name of a directory that contains an operating system image. This directory can be on an installation medium, such as a DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, or it can be an NFS or UFS directory. This OS image provides a miniroot that boots a minimal, bootable root (/) file system to facilitate the installation of the flash archive. The miniroot is not the image that is installed. The -a option provides the operating system image.

   -a archive

   Path to the flash archive when the archive is available on the local file system. The operating system image versions that are specified with the -s option and the -a option must be identical.

Example 5-11 Installing Flash Archives on a Boot Environment

In this example, an archive is installed on the second_disk boot environment. The archive is located on the local system. The -a option provides the operating system image. The operating system versions for the -s and -a options are both Oracle Solaris 10 8/11 releases. All files are overwritten on second_disk except shareable files. The pkgadd command adds the Live Upgrade packages from the release you are upgrading to.

# pkgadd -d /server/packages SUNWlucfg SUNWlur SUNWluu
# luupgrade -f -n second_disk \ 
-s /net/installmachine/export/Solaris_10/OS_image \ 
-a /net/server/archive/10 

Next Steps

The boot environment is ready to be activated. See Activating a Boot Environment.

How to Install a Flash Archive With a Profile

This procedure provides the steps to install a Flash Archive or differential archive by using a profile.

Before You Begin

If you added locales to the profile, make sure that you have created a boot environment with additional disk space.

1. Install the Live Upgrade SUNWlucfg, SUNWlur, and SUNWluu packages on your system.

   These packages must be from the release you are upgrading to. For a step-by-step procedure, see How to Install Live Upgrade With the pkgadd Command.

2. Create a profile.

   See How to Create a Profile to be Used by Live Upgrade for a list of keywords that can be used in a Live Upgrade profile.

3. Install the flash archive with the profile.

   # luupgrade -f -n BE-name -s os-image-path -j profile-path

   -f

   Indicates to install an operating system from a Flash Archive.

   -n BE-name

   Specifies the name of the boot environment that is to be upgraded.

   -s os-image-path

   Specifies the path name of a directory that contains an operating system image. This directory can be on an installation medium, such as a DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, or it can be an NFS or UFS directory. This OS image provides a miniroot that boots a minimal, bootable root (/) file system to facilitate the installation of the flash archive. The miniroot is not the image that is installed. The -j option provides the path to the profile that contains the flash archive operating system image.

   -j profile-path

   Path to a JumpStart profile that is configured for a flash installation. The profile must be in a directory on the local machine. The -s option's operating system version and the flash archive operating system version must be identical.

Example 5-12 Install a Flash Archive on a Boot Environment With a Profile

In this example, a profile provides the location of the archive to be installed.

# profile keywords         profile values
# ----------------         -------------------
 install_type              flash_install
 archive_location          nfs installserver:/export/solaris/flasharchive/solarisarchive
 

After creating the profile, you can run the luupgrade command and install the archive. The -s option provides a miniroot that boots a minimal, bootable root (/) file system to facilitate the installation of the flash archive. The -j option provides the path to the profile that contains the path to the flash archive operating system image. The pkgadd command adds the Live Upgrade packages from the release you are upgrading to.

# pkgadd -d /server/packages SUNWlucfg SUNWlur SUNWluu
# luupgrade -f -n second_disk \ 
-s /net/installmachine/export/solarisX/OS_image \ 
-j /var/tmp/profile 

Next Steps

The boot environment is then ready to be activated. See Activating a Boot Environment.

How to Install a Flash Archive With a Profile Keyword

This procedure enables you to install a flash archive and use the archive_location keyword at the command line rather than from a profile file. You can quickly retrieve an archive without the use of a profile file.

1. Install the Live Upgrade SUNWlucfg, SUNWlur, and SUNWluu packages on your system.

   These packages must be from the release you are upgrading to. For a step-by-step procedure, see How to Install Live Upgrade With the pkgadd Command.

2. Install the flash archive.

   # luupgrade -f -n BE-name -s os-image-path -J 'archive_location path-to-profile'

   -f

   Specifies to upgrade an operating system from a Flash Archive.

   -n BE-name

   Specifies the name of the boot environment that is to be upgraded.

   -s os-image-path

   Specifies the path name of a directory that contains an operating system image. This directory can be on an installation medium, such as a DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, or it can be an NFS or UFS directory. This OS image provides a miniroot that boots a minimal, bootable root (/) file system to facilitate the installation of the flash archive. The miniroot is not the image that is installed. The -j option provides the path to the profile that contains the flash archive operating system image.

   -J 'archive_location path-to-profile'

   Specifies the archive_location profile keyword and the path to the JumpStart profile. The -s option's operating system version and the flash archive operating system version must be identical. For the keyword values, see archive_location Keyword in Oracle Solaris 10 1/13 Installation Guide: JumpStart Installations.

   The boot environment is ready to be activated. See Activating a Boot Environment.

Example 5-13 Installing a Flash Archive By Using a Profile Keyword

In this example, an archive is installed on the second_disk boot environment. The -s option provides a miniroot that boots a minimal, bootable root (/) file system to facilitate the installation of the flash archive. The -j option provides the path to the Flash Archive operating system image. The -J option and the archive_location keywords are used to retrieve the archive. All files are overwritten on second_disk except shareable files. The pkgadd command adds the Live Upgrade packages from the release you are upgrading to.

# pkgadd -d /server/packages SUNWlucfg SUNWlur SUNWluu
# luupgrade -f -n second_disk \ 
-s /net/installmachine/export/solarisX/OS_image \ 
-J 'archive_location http://example.com/myflash.flar'