JumpStart reads the rules.ok file and tries to find the first rule whose defined system attributes match the system on which JumpStart is attempting to install the Solaris software. If a match occurs, JumpStart uses the profile specified in the rule to install Solaris on the system automatically.
Figure 18–1 illustrates how a custom JumpStart installation works on a standalone, non-networked system using a diskette in the system's diskette drive.
Figure 18–2 illustrates how a custom JumpStart installation works for more than one system on a network in which different profiles are accessed from a single server.
As shown in Figure 18–1 and Figure 18–2, the custom JumpStart files you need to set up can be located on either a diskette or server (called a profile diskette and profile server, respectively).
A profile diskette is required when you want to perform custom JumpStart installations on non-networked, standalone systems.
A profile server is used when you want to perform custom JumpStart installations on networked systems that have access to a server.
Figure 18–3 describes what happens on a system during a custom JumpStart installation and shows the order in which JumpStart looks for custom JumpStart files.