Chapter 8 Preparing to Install Solaris Software From the Network

This chapter describes how to set up your network and systems to install the Solaris software from the network instead of from CDs. Network installations enable you to install the Solaris software from a system that has access to the Solaris 8 CD images, called an install server, to other systems on the network. You copy the contents of the Solaris 8 CDs to the install server's hard disk. Then, you can install the Solaris software from the network by using any of the Solaris installation methods. This chapter covers the following topics:

• Task Map: Preparing to Install Solaris Software From the Network

• Required Servers for Network Installation

• Creating an Install Server and a Boot Server

• Adding Systems to Be Installed From the Network

• Network Installation Command Reference

Task Map: Preparing to Install Solaris Software From the Network

Required Servers for Network Installation

To install the Solaris operating environment from the network, the systems to be installed require the following servers to be present on the network.

• Install server – A networked system that contains the Solaris 8 CD images from which you can install Solaris 8 on another system on the network. You create an install server by copying the images on the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2, Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2, and Solaris 8 Languages CDs to the server's hard disk.

  You can enable a single install server to provide CD images for different Solaris releases and for multiple platforms by copying the images to the install server's hard disk. For example, a single install server could contain the CD images for both the SPARC and IA platforms.

  For details about how to create an install server, refer to To Create an Install Server.

• Boot server – A system used to boot the system to be installed from the network. A boot server and install server are typically the same system. However, if the system on which the Solaris 8 software is to be installed is located in a different subnet than the install server, a boot server is required on that subnet.

  A single boot server can provide Solaris 8 boot software for multiple releases, including the Solaris 8 boot software for different platforms. For example, a SPARC boot server can provide the Solaris 7 and Solaris 8 boot software for SPARC based systems. The same SPARC boot server can also provide the Solaris 8 boot software for IA based systems.

  For details about how to create a boot server, refer to To Create a Boot Server on a Subnet.

• (Optional) Name server – A system that manages a distributed network database, such as NIS+ or LDAP, that contains information about users and other systems on the network.

  For details about how to create a name server, refer to Solaris Naming Administration Guide.

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  Note –

  The install server and name server can be the same or different systems.

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Figure 8–1 illustrates the servers that are typically used for network installation.

Figure 8–1 Network Installation Servers

Creating an Install Server and a Boot Server

You must create an install server to install the Solaris software on a system from the network. If systems that you are installing are not in the same subnet as the install server, you must do one of the following:

• Create separate boot servers for each subnet.

• Create an install server for each subnet. However, this strategy requires more disk space.

This section contains the following instructions.

• To Create an Install Server

• To Create a Boot Server on a Subnet

To Create an Install Server

You cannot use a SunOS 4.1 system as an install server.

1. On the system that is to become the install server, become superuser.

   The system must include a CD-ROM drive and be part of the site's network and name service. If you use a name service, the system must also be in the NIS, NIS+, DNS, or LDAP name service. If you do not use a name service, you must distribute information about this system by following your site's policies.

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   Note –

   This procedure assumes that the system is running the Volume Manager. If you are not using the Volume Manager to manage diskettes and CDs, refer to System Administration Guide, Volume I for detailed information about managing removable media without the Volume Manager.

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2. Insert the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD into the system's CD-ROM drive.

3. Decide if you want to copy the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 and Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 CDs to the install server's hard disk.

   • If yes, go to Step 4.

   • If no, go to Step 19.

4. Change to the Tools directory on the mounted CD:

   • For the SPARC Platform Edition CD type:

     # cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s0/Solaris_8/Tools

   • For the Intel Platform Edition CD type:

     # cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s2/Solaris_8/Tools

5. Copy the CD in the CD-ROM drive to the install server's hard disk by using the setup_install_server command:

   # ./setup_install_server install_dir_path

   In this command, install_dir_path specifies the directory where the CD image is to be copied. The directory must be empty.

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   Note –

   The setup_install_server command indicates whether or not there is enough disk space available for the Solaris 8 Software CD images. To determine available disk space, use the df -kl command.

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6. Eject the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD.

7. Insert the Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 CD into the system's CD-ROM drive.

8. Change to the Tools directory on the mounted CD:

   # cd /cdrom/cdrom0/Solaris_8/Tools

9. Copy the CD in the CD-ROM drive to the install server's hard disk by using the add_to_install_server command:

   # ./add_to_install_server install_dir_path

   In this command, install_dir_path specifies the directory where the CD image is to be copied.

10. Eject the Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 CD.

11. Insert the Solaris 8 Languages CD into the system's CD-ROM drive.

12. Change to the Tools directory on the mounted CD:

    # cd /cdrom/cdrom0/Tools

13. Copy the CD in the CD-ROM drive to the install server's hard disk by using the add_to_install_server command:

    # ./add_to_install_server install_dir_path

    In this command, install_dir_path specifies the directory where the CD image is to be copied.

14. Decide if you want to enable users to use the Solaris Web Start installation method to boot a system and install the Solaris 8 software from a network.

    • If no, eject the Solaris 8 Languages CD and go to Step 18.

    • If yes, eject the Solaris 8 Languages CD.

15. Insert the Solaris 8 Installation CD into the system's CD-ROM drive.

16. Change to the directory that contains modify_install_server on the mounted CD:

    • For the SPARC Platform Edition CD type:

      # cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s0

    • For the Intel Platform Edition CD type:

    # cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s2

17. Use the modify_install_server command to copy the Solaris Web Start interface software to the install server:

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    x86 only –

    modify_install_server is located in the s2 directory on the Solaris 8 Installation Intel Platform Edition CD or Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual Intel Platform Edition CD.

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    # ./modify_install_server install_dir_path installer_miniroot_path

    In this command, install_dir_path specifies the directory where the Solaris Web Start interface is to be copied. installer_miniroot_path specifies the directory on the CD in the CD-ROM drive from which the Solaris Web Start interface is to be copied.

18. Decide if you want to patch the files that are located in the miniroot (Solaris_8/Tools/Boot) on the net install image that was created by setup_install_server.

    • If no, go to the next step.

    • If yes, use the patchadd -C command to patch the files that are located in the miniroot.

19. Decide if you need to create a boot server.

    • If the install server is on the same subnet as the system to be installed, you do not need to create a boot server. Go to Adding Systems to Be Installed From the Network.

    • If the install server is not on the same subnet as the system to be installed, you must create a boot server. For detailed instructions on how to create a boot server, refer to To Create a Boot Server on a Subnet.

SPARC: Example—Creating an Install Server

The following example illustrates how to create an install server by copying the CDs that are labeled Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition, Solaris 8 Software 2 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition, Solaris 8 Languages SPARC Platform Edition, and Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual SPARC Platform Edition to the install server's /export/install directory:

# cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s0/Solaris_8/Tools
# ./setup_install_server /export/install
# cd /cdrom/cdrom0/Solaris_8/Tools
# ./add_to_install_server /export/install
# cd /cdrom/cdrom0/Tools
# ./add_to_install_server /export/install
# cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s0
# ./modify_install_server /export/install /cdrom/cdrom0/s2

In this example, each CD is inserted and automatically mounted before you issue each of the commands. After you issue each command, the CD is removed.

To Create a Boot Server on a Subnet

You can install the Solaris software from the network from any install server on the network. However, a system that needs to use an install server on another subnet requires a separate boot server on its own subnet. A boot server contains enough of the boot software to boot systems from the network, and then the install server completes the installation of the Solaris software.

1. On the system you intend to make the boot server for the subnet, log in and become superuser.

   The system must include a local CD-ROM drive or have access to the remote Solaris 8 CD images. If you use a name service, the system must also be in the NIS, NIS+, DNS, or LDAP name service. If you do not use a name service, you must distribute information about this system by following your site's policies.

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   Note –

   This procedure assumes that the system is running the Volume Manager. If you are not using the Volume Manager to manage diskettes and CDs, refer to System Administration Guide, Volume I for detailed information about managing removable media without the Volume Manager.

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2. Decide if you want to mount the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD from the CD-ROM drive or from an image on an NFS server.

   • If you want to mount the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD from the CD-ROM drive, insert the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD into the CD-ROM drive.

   • If you want to mount the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD from an image on an NFS server, follow these steps.

     1. Mount the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD image.

        # mount -F nfs -o ro server_name:path /mnt

        In this command, server_name:path is the host name and absolute path to the CD image.

     2. Change directory to the mounted CD image:

        # cd /mnt

3. Change to the Tools directory on the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD image by typing:

   # cd Solaris_8/Tools

4. Copy the boot software to the boot server.

   # ./setup_install_server -b boot_dir_path

   In this command, boot_dir_path specifies the directory where the boot software is to be copied. The directory must be empty. The -b options specifies to setup the system as a boot server.

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   Note –

   The setup_install_server command indicates whether or not there is enough disk space available for the Solaris 8 Software CD images. To determine available disk space, use the df -kl command.

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5. Eject the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD.

6. Insert the Solaris 8 Installation CD into the system's CD-ROM drive.

7. Use the modify_install_server command to copy the Solaris Web Start interface software to the install server:

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   x86 only –

   modify_install_server is located in the s2 directory on the Solaris 8 Installation Intel Platform Edition CD or the Solaris 8 Installation Multilingual Intel Platform Edition CD.

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   # ./modify_install_server install_dir_path installer_miniroot_path

   In this command, install_dir_path specifies the directory where the Solaris Web Start interface is to be copied. installer_miniroot_path specifies the directory on the CD in the CD-ROM drive from which the Solaris Web Start interface is to be copied.

SPARC: Example—Creating a Boot Server on a Subnet

The following example illustrates how to create a boot server on a subnet. These commands copy the boot software from the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition CD image to /export/install/boot on the system's local disk.

# cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s0/Solaris_8/Tools
# ./setup_install_server -b /export/install/boot

In this example, the CD is inserted and automatically mounted before you issue the command. After you issue the command, the CD is removed.

Adding Systems to Be Installed From the Network

After you create an install server and, if necessary, a boot server, you must set up each system that you want to install from the network. Each system that you want to install needs to find the following:

• Install server

• Boot server

• The sysidcfg file, if you use a sysidcfg file to preconfigure system information

• The profile and rules file in the JumpStart directory on the profile server, if you are using the custom JumpStart installation method

• The name server, if you use a name service to preconfigure system information

When you install from the network, a system checks for this information in the name service in the bootparams database in the /etc files, NIS, NIS+, DNS, or LDAP. You must add this information to the name service for every system that is to be installed from the network. You add this information by using the add_install_client command.

If you use the /etc files to store network installation information, the information must be located on the install server or the boot server, if a boot server is required.

To Add Systems to Be Installed From the Network With add_install_client

You can use the add_install_client(1M) command to set up systems to be installed from the network.

The add_install_client command updates only the /etc files.

1. Become superuser on the install server or the boot server if a system requires one.

2. If you use the NIS or NIS+ name service, verify that the following information about the system to be installed has been added to the name service in the /etc files:

   • Host name

   • IP address

   • Ethernet address

3. Change to the Tools directory on the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD image on the install server or the boot server's boot directory:

   # cd Solaris_8/Tools

4. Use the add_install_client command to set up a system to be installed from the network:

   # ./add_install_client [[-d]] [[-c server:jumpstart_dir_path]] [[-s install_server:install_dir_path]] \ [[-p server:path]] host_name platform_group

   -d	Specifies that the client is to use a DHCP server as a profile server for a custom JumpStart installation.  When you issue the boot command for a custom JumpStart installation, you can specify that the client use a DHCP server instead of a name server bootparams database. For detailed instructions, for SPARC systems refer to Step 6 in SPARC: To Perform a Custom JumpStart Installation and for IA systems refer to Step 8 in x86: To Perform a Custom JumpStart Installation.
   -c server:jumpstart_dir_path	Specifies a JumpStart directory for custom JumpStart installations. server is the host name of the server on which the JumpStart directory is located. jumpstart_dir_path is the absolute path to the JumpStart directory. Instead of using this option, when you issue the boot command for a custom JumpStart installation, you can specify the location of the JumpStart directory with the boot command. For detailed instructions, refer to Creating a Compressed Configuration File.
   -s install_server:install_dir_path	Specifies the install server. This option is required only when you are using add_install_client on a boot server. install_server is the host name of the install server. install_dir_path is the absolute path to the Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 CD image for your platform.
   -p server:path	Specifies the sysidcfg file for preconfiguring system information. server is either a valid host name or IP address for the server that contains the file. path is the absolute path to the sysidcfg file. If you saved the sysidcfg file in JumpStart directory on a profile server, you might not need to use this option. When you issue the boot command for a custom JumpStart installation, you can specify the location of the JumpStart directory with the boot command. For detailed instructions, refer to Creating a Compressed Configuration File.
   host_name	Is the host name of the system to be installed from the network. This is not the host name of the install server. The host must be in the name service for this command to work.
   platform_group	Is the platform group of the system to be installed. A detailed list of platform groups appears in Chapter 31, Platform Names and Groups.

SPARC: Example—Adding Systems to Be Installed From the Network With add_install_client

The following example illustrates how to add a system named basil, which is a SPARCstation 10, to be installed from the network. The system requires a boot server, so the command is run on the boot server. The -s option is used to specify the install server that is named install_server1, which contains a Solaris 8 Software 1 of 2 SPARC Platform Edition CD image in /export/install:

# cd /export/install/boot/Solaris_8/Tools
# ./add_install_client -s install_server1:/export/install basil sun4m

Network Installation Command Reference

The following table lists the commands you need to use to set up network installations.