Using Unified Archives for System Recovery and Cloning in Oracle^® Solaris 11.3

How to Deploy a System From a Unified Archive Using AI

You must have a compatible AI service and AI manifest to deploy an archive using the Automated Installer (AI). A compatible service is one that is created from a version of the OS or an SRU, which is the same as or newer than the version from which the archive was created. For example, if the archived system is Oracle Solaris 11.3, any Oracle Solaris 11.3 or 11.3 SRU version AI service is compatible. Each archive does not require its own service. The specific archive deployed is determined by the manifest used for a specific deployment.

To specify the Unified Archive location and image to deploy, use the ARCHIVE software type in an AI manifest. In Oracle Solaris 11.3, use the AI configuration all_services/webserver_files_dir property. This property sets a file system location that is served by the Automated Installer's web services and identifies a convenient location for files that support AI deployments.

For more information about customizing an AI manifest see Example XML Manifests for Archive Deployment and Customizing an XML AI Manifest File in Installing Oracle Solaris 11.3 Systems.

1. Become an administrator.

   For more information, see Using Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Securing Users and Processes in Oracle Solaris 11.3.

2. (Optional) If needed, create a new install service on the AI server.

   It is only necessary to create a new install service if you do not already have one configured to support the needed client architecture and OS.

   # installadm create-service -n new-service -s source

   Ensure that the –s value is set to the name of the ISO file or the FMRI location for the current operating system version.

3. (Optional) If needed, associate the install client with a service.

   In this example, the install client is associated with the new install service created in the previous step. The client is identified by its MAC address.

   # installadm create-client -e ##.##.##.##.##.## -n new-service

4. Configure an AI manifest for the install client.

   Either edit the default manifest XML file or create a new manifest XML file referencing the archive changes. Example XML Manifests for Archive Deployment provides sample manifests. Refer to Customizing an XML AI Manifest File in Installing Oracle Solaris 11.3 Systems for editing and verification guidelines.

5. Create a new manifest with the updated manifest XML file.

   # installadm create-manifest -n new-service -m manifest -f file

6. Confirm both that the service was created and that the new manifest was applied to the service.
   1. Verify the new service.

      # installadm list -n new-service
      

   2. Verify the new manifest.

      # installadm list -n new-service -m
      

7. Boot the install client.

   This command will boot the install client using IP addresses from a DHCP server, which may also be your AI server.

   ok boot net:dhcp - install