System Configurations

There are five system configurations. These are:

• Servers
• Standalone networked systems
• Standalone non-networked systems
• Diskless clients
• Dataless clients

Servers

A server reserves a portion of its disk space for use by other machines, called clients. A server typically has a large amount of disk storage capacity, and so can afford to share some of its disk space. A client usually has limited disk storage capacity, or perhaps none at all.

A server system has the following file systems:

• The root and /usr file systems, plus swap space
• The /export, /export/swap, and /export/home file systems, which support client systems and provide home directories for users.
• The /opt directory or file system for storing application software.

---

Note - Strictly speaking, a server is any machine that provides a service to other machines in its network. There are file servers, boot servers, database servers, license servers, print servers, media servers, and even servers for particular applications. However, except where otherwise noted, this chapter uses the term server to mean a machine that provides disk space for the storage of other machines' files and programs.

---

Standalone Networked Systems

A standalone networked system can share information with other machines in the network, but it could continue to function if detached from the network.

A standalone system can function autonomously because it has its own hard disk containing root, swap, /usr, and /home file systems. The standalone system thus has local access to operating system software, executables, virtual memory space, and user-created files.

Note that a standalone system requires sufficient disk space--usually 150 Mbytes or more--to hold the four necessary file systems.

Some system administrators implement a pseudo-standalone configuration using a server to store user-created files. Note however, that if denied access to the user file system across the net, the pseudo-standalone machine has very limited capabilities.

Standalone Non-Networked Systems

A standalone non-networked system is essentially the same as a standalone system that is not connected to the network. A standalone non-networked system is used strictly on its own (that is, not connected to any network).

Diskless Clients

A diskless client has no disk and depends on a server for all its software and storage area. A diskless client remotely mounts its /, /usr, and /home file systems from a server.

A diskless client generates significant network traffic due to its continual need to procure operating system software and virtual memory space from across the network. A diskless client cannot operate if it is detached from the network or if its server malfunctions.

Dataless Clients

A dataless client has local storage for its root file system and swap space. The dataless client cannot function if detached from the network, because its executables (/usr) and user files (/home) are located across the network on the disk of a server.

A dataless client places far less demand on the server and the network than a diskless client does.

Because dataless clients require less network access, a server can accommodate many more dataless clients than it can diskless clients.

Dataless clients are cheaper than standalone systems. Also, the user files of all the dataless clients are stored centrally (on a server) and can be backed up and administered centrally.

However, if local security is an issue at your site, you need to weigh these conveniences against the relative lack of privacy of centralized files.

Using Host Manager to Add Clients and Standalone Systems

Host Manger is an Administration Tool application which uses a graphical interface to manage7 network client information. See Administration Application Reference Manual for more information on Host Manager.

Before using Host Manager, verify that the following requirements are met:

• A bit-mapped display monitor is connected to the system you are using.
• The OpenWindows^(TM) environment is running. If needed, use the following command to start the OpenWindows environment:

$ /usr/openwin/bin/openwin

• You have the required access privileges such as root (superuser) access to the local system or membership in the sysadmin (group ID=14) group for remote systems. If you are using Host Manager to update a NIS or NIS+ file, you must be a member of the sysadmin group and have the appropriate access privileges.

· How to Start Host Manager

The following procedure describes how to start Host Manager.

1. Type admintool & from a Command or Shell Tool prompt and press Return.

   The Administration Tool main window is displayed.

2. Click on the Host Manager icon.

   The Select Naming Service window is displayed.

3. Select the name service used in your network.

4. Check that the domain or host name is correct.

   If not, type the domain or host name you need to access.

5. Click on Apply.

   The Host Manager main window is displayed.

· How to Add Standalone System Information

Use these steps to add standalone system information. The following items must be provided for the standalone system:

• Host name
• IP address
• Ethernet address

Default settings are available for:

• Time zone region and time zone
• Media server

1. Select Add Host from the Edit menu on the Host Manager Window.

   The Add Host window is displayed.

2. Fill in the Add Host window.

3. If this system will be installed remotely, follow Steps a and b to enable remote install privileges. Otherwise, skip to step 4.

   a. Click on Enable.

   The Media Server defaults to the current host.

   b. Select Other from the Media Server menu to specify another host as the media server, if necessary. Type the host name in the text box provided and click on Apply on the Media Server menu.

4. Click on Apply on the Add Host window.

5. Verify that the new host has been added by locating the new host entry in the Host Manager main window.

· How to Add Support for a Diskless Client

Use these steps to add support for a diskless client. This procedure assumes the system providing the services has already been configured as a server, meaning the /export and /export/swap file systems are already created. The following items must be provided for the diskless client:

• Host name
• IP address
• Ethernet address

Default settings are available for:

• Time zone region and time zone
• File server
• OS release
• Root and swap paths
• Swap size
• Terminal type

1. Select Add Host from the Edit menu on the Host Manager main window.

   The Add window is displayed.

2. Select diskless from the Client Type menu.

3. Fill in the Add Host window.

4. If another host will act as the file server for this system, follow Steps a and b. Otherwise, skip to step 5.

   a. Select Other from the File Server menu to specify another host as the file server.

b. Fill out the host information in the text box provided and click on Apply on the Specify File Server window.

5. Click on Add on the Add Host window.

   It takes several minutes to add the diskless client support, particularly to create the client's root and swap areas.

6. You may need to reboot the file server to start the appropriate client daemons after the client information has been added successfully.

   A message about rebooting the system will be displayed.

7. Boot the diskless client system.

# boot net

8. Provide the following system configuration information for the diskless client during the initial boot process, if prompted.

• Geographic region
• Time zone
• Date and time

9. Create a root password when prompted.

· How to Add Support for a Dataless Client

Use these steps to add support for a dataless client on a server. This procedure assumes the following tasks have already been completed:

• The system providing the services has already been configured as a server, meaning the /export file system is already created.
• The dataless client system has already been configured using the Solaris installation program. See the Solaris software installation manual for your platform for information about using this program.

  The following information must be provided for the dataless client:

  · Host name

  · IP address

  · Ethernet address

  Default settings are also available for:

  · Time zone region and time zone

  · File server

  · Operating system release

  · Remote install

  · Media server

1. Select Add Host from the Edit menu on the Host Manager main window.

   The Add window is displayed.

2. Select dataless from the Client Type menu.

3. Fill in the Add Host window.

4. Click on Add.

   It takes several minutes for the dataless client support to be added.