An image is a location where IPS packages can be installed and where other IPS operations can be performed. A boot environment (BE) is a bootable instance of an image. You can maintain multiple BEs on your system, and each BE can have different software versions installed. When you boot your system, you have the option to boot into any of the BEs on the system.
A new BE can be created automatically as a result of package operations. You can also explicitly create a new BE. Whether a new BE is created depends on image policy, as discussed in this section.
By default, a new BE is automatically created when you perform one of the following operations:
Install or update particular key system packages such as some drivers and other kernel components. Key system components can be updated when you change a variant or facet as well as when you install, uninstall, and update packages.
Specify any of the following options: --be-name, --require-new-be, --backup-be-name, --require-backup-be.
Set the be-policy image policy to always-new. Under this policy, all package operations are performed in a new BE set as active on the next boot.
When a new BE is created, the system performs the following steps:
Creates a clone of the current BE.
The clone BE includes everything hierarchically under the main root dataset of the original BE. Shared file systems are not under the root dataset and are not cloned. Instead, the new BE accesses the original shared file systems.
Updates the packages in the clone BE. Does not update any packages in the current BE.
If non-global zones are configured in the current BE, these existing zones are configured in the new BE.
Sets the new BE as the default boot choice the next time the system is booted unless --no-be-activate is specified. The current BE remains as an alternate boot choice.
When a backup BE is created, the system performs the following steps:
Creates a clone of the current BE.
Updates the packages in the current BE. Does not update any packages in the clone BE.
If a new BE is required but not enough space is available to create it, you might be able to delete existing unneeded BEs. For more information about BEs, see Creating and Administering Oracle Solaris 11.2 Boot Environments .
See Setting Image Properties for information about how to set the following image properties.
Specifies when a BE is created during packaging operations. The following values are allowed:
Apply the default BE creation policy: create-backup.
Require a reboot for all package operations by performing them in a new BE set as active on the next boot. A backup BE is not created unless explicitly requested.
This policy is the safest, but is more strict than most sites need because no packages can be added without a reboot.
For package operations that require a reboot, this policy creates a new BE that is set as active on the next boot. If packages are modified or content that could affect the kernel is installed and the operation affects the live BE, a backup BE is created but not set as active. A backup BE can also be explicitly requested.
This policy is potentially risky only if newly installed software causes system instability, which is possible, but relatively rare.
For package operations that require a reboot, this policy creates a new BE set as active on the next boot. A backup BE is not created unless explicitly requested.
This policy carries the greatest risk because if a packaging change to the live BE makes further changes impossible, a recent fallback BE might not exist.