How to Update Your ZFS Boot Environment

To update a ZFS boot environment, use the pkg update command. In most cases, a clone or backup BE is created and automatically activated. As a best practice, use the pkg update –nv command first to determine whether a backup BE or a new BE will be created and which packages will be updated. New and backup BEs are also activated and updated differently. A new BE is automatically activated by default, but a backup BE is not automatically activated. Also, a new BE is updated, but a backup BE is not updated.

Before You Begin

---

Caution  -  When you update a BE, you most likely will need to upgrade your root pool version. If an upgrade for the current pool version is available for the recent update, you cannot boot back to a previous BE if the previous BE is in a lower pool version. Make sure you have tested all of the features and that you are satisfied with the current update before upgrading your pool version. For information about upgrading your pool version, see Upgrading ZFS Storage Pools in Managing ZFS File Systems in Oracle Solaris 11.2 .

---

1. Display the existing BE information for your system.

   # beadm list

2. Update the BE.

   # pkg update

   If the existing BE name is solaris, a new BE called solaris-1 is created and automatically activated after the pkg update operation completes.

3. Reboot the system, then, confirm the BE status.

   # init 6
   .
   .
   .
   # beadm list

4. (Optional) If an error occurs when booting the new BE, activate and boot the previous BE.

   # beadm activate previousBE
   # init 6

   If the activated BE does not boot, see How to Boot From a Backup BE for Recovery Purposes.