About Installing Solaris Over a Network

A typical way to install Solaris software is to use the installation program to copy the Solaris CD shipped with your system. However, it is uncommon at most sites for every system to have its own local CD-ROM drive. When a system does not have a local CD-ROM drive, you can perform a network installation. Network installation means that you install software over the network--from a system with a CD-ROM drive to a system without a CD-ROM drive.

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Note - Instructions in this chapter are valid for either an x86, PowerPC, or SPARC server being used for network installations. An x86 server can provide the Solaris CD image for SPARC and PowerPC systems, a SPARC server can provide the Solaris CD image for x86 and PowerPC systems, and a PowerPC server can provide the Solaris CD image for x86 and SPARC systems.

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Servers Required for Network Installation

As shown in Figure 3-1, systems that install Solaris software over the network require:

• Install server - A networked system with the CD-ROM drive that provides installation services for other systems.
• Name server - A system that manages a distributed network database (such as NIS or NIS+) containing information about users and other systems on the network.

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Note - The install server and name server may be the same or separate systems.

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• Boot server - A system that boots the system to be installed over the network. A boot server and install server are typically the same system. However, if the system to be installed is on a different subnet than the install server, a boot server is required on that subnet.

Dataless clients also require:

• OS server - A system that provides Solaris operating environment software including services and/or file systems. For dataless clients, OS servers provide the /usr file system.

Figure 3-1

Requirements for Hands-Off Network Installation

To set up your site to install Solaris software on systems over the network with no user intervention, you must:

• Use the custom JumpStart installation method. (See Chapter 4, "Preparing Custom JumpStart Installations.")
• Make sure all systems are properly configured in the name service. (Procedures in this chapter include information on how to add systems to the name service.)
• Preconfigure network information, such as the date, time, geographic region, site subnet mask, and language. By using the Solstice Host Manager to set up a server for network installations, you automatically preconfigure network information. This eliminates many prompts that are otherwise necessary to identify the system during an installation.

Commands You Should Know About

Table 3-1 shows programs available for use when setting up for network installation.

Table 3-1

Program	Description
setup_install_server	A script that copies all or part of the Solaris CD onto a server's local disk. This enables you to perform network installations from the install server's disk instead of its CD-ROM drive. (Installing from the install server's disk is faster than installing from the server's CD-ROM drive.) See the setup_install_server(1m) man page for more information.
Host Manager	A graphical user interface that is available from within the Solstice AdminSuite (solstice). You can use Host Manager to specify naming services, system's IP and Ethernet addresses, and other information to be used for installations across a network.
mount	A command that shows mounted file systems, including the Solaris CD file system. See the mount(1M) man page for more information.
uname -m	A command for determining a system's platform name (for example, prep). This information is sometimes required during installation. See the uname(1)man page for more information.
kdmconfig	A command to run on the install server to preconfigure the keyboard, display, and other peripherals for a system being installed over a network. See the kdmconfig(1M) man page for more information.

Creating an Install Server

If you are installing systems over the network, you must have an install server--a system with a CD-ROM drive or with Solaris software copied to its local disk. This system will provide the installation services for systems on the network that do not have a local CD-ROM drive.

You can create an install server to install the following system types:

• OS server
• Standalone system
• Dataless client

This section describes how to:

• Set up a new system to be an install server.
• Create an install server by mounting the Solaris CD or by copying the Solaris CD to the install server's local disk.

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Note - If you intend to do frequent installations over the network, you should copy the Solaris CD image from the Solaris CD to the install server's local disk. Network installations from the install server's local disk are faster than from its CD-ROM drive. Copying Solaris CD image to the install server's disk also frees the CD-ROM drive for other uses.

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• Create a separate boot server (required only if systems are not on same subnet as the install server).

· How to Set Up a New System to be an Install Server

Overview - Setting up a new system to be an install server involves:

• Installing the system hardware, including a CD-ROM drive
• Connecting the system to a network
• Installing Solaris software

Follow this procedure to create an install server

1. Install the system hardware, including a CD-ROM drive.

   Follow the hardware documentation for detailed information.

2. Connect the system to the network.

   Follow the hardware documentation for detailed information.

3. Install Solaris software.

   During an interactive installation, you are prompted to select a name service. Follow the guidelines in the next table:

Is a Name Service Running at Your Site ...	Then ...
Yes	Select NIS or NIS+, whichever your site uses, when prompted for a name service. After the Solaris software is installed, go to How to Create an Install Server on page 22.
No	Select None when prompted for a name service. After the Solaris software is installed, go to Step 4.

4. If you want this system to be a name server, set up a name service after you have installed the Solaris software. For detailed information, see the NIS+ and DNS Setup and Configuration Guide</>.

The system is now set up so that you can make it an install server. Next, you must make a Solaris CD image available to other systems. To continue, go to the How to Create an Install Server on page 22.

· How to Create an Install Server

Overview - Creating an install server involves:

• Choosing a system with a CD-ROM drive to be the install server
• Mounting the Solaris CD
• Using the setup_install_server command to copy the Solaris CD to the install server's local disk (optional, but recommended)

Follow this procedure to create an install server.

1. On the system that is going to be the install server, log in and become root.

   This system must have a CD-ROM drive.

2. Insert the Solaris CD into the CD-ROM drive.

3. Mount the Solaris CD (if needed) and change the directory to the mounted CD:

If the Install Server Is ...	Then ...
Running Volume Management	cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s0 orcd /cdrom/cdrom0/s2 Note: Volume Management is running if the /vol directory on the system contains files. Systems running Solaris 2.0 or 2.1 do not have Volume Management.
Not running Volume Management	1) mount -F hsfs -o ro /dev/dsk/c0t6d0s0 /cdrom ormount -F hsfs -o ro /dev/dsk/c0t6d0p0 /cdrom 2) cd /cdrom

4. Determine your next step based on whether or not you want to copy the Solaris CD to the install server's local disk:

If You ...	Then ...
Want to copy the Solaris CD	Go to Step 5.
Do not want to copy the Solaris CD	Go to Step 7.

5. Use the setup_install_server command to copy the contents of the Solaris CD to the install server's local disk.

# ./setup_install_server install_dir_path

In this command,

install_dir_path....Specifies the directory where the Solaris CD image will be copied. You can substitute any directory path.

For example, the following command copies the Solaris CD image from the Solaris CD to the /export/install directory on the local disk:

./setup_install_server /export/install

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Note - The setup_install_server command will indicate if you do not have enough disk space to copy the Solaris CD image from the Solaris CD. Use the df -kl command to determine available disk space.

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6. Type cd install_dir_path and press Return.

7. Determine your next step based on whether or not the install server is on the same subnet as the system to be installed.

If Install Server Is ...	Then ...
On same subnet as the system to be installed	Go to Task Complete on page 24.
Not on the same subnet as the system to be installed	Follow the procedure How to Create a Boot Server on a Subnet on page 25. You must complete this procedure when the install server is not on the same subnet as the system to be installed. After completing that procedure, go to Task Complete on page 24.

The install server is now created. Next, you must add information to the install server's configuration files so it recognizes the systems to be installed. To continue, go to How to Set Up Servers for Network Installation of a Standalone, Server, or Dataless Client on page 29.

· How to Create a Boot Server on a Subnet

You can install Solaris software over the network from any install server on the network. However, a system that will use an install server on another subnet requires a separate boot server on its own subnet.

Overview - Creating a boot server involves:

• Choosing a system with a CD-ROM drive to be the boot server for the subnet
• Mounting the Solaris CD
• Using the setup_install_server -b command to copy required platform information from the Solaris CD to the local disk

Follow this procedure to set up a boot server on a subnet.

1. On the system that will be the boot server for the subnet, log in and become root.

   This system must have a CD-ROM drive or an NFS mount of a Solaris CD image. The system must also be in the NIS or NIS+ name service. (If your site doesn't use the NIS or NIS+ name service, you must distribute information about this system by following your site's policies.)

2. Determine your next step based on whether the boot server uses a local CD-ROM drive or an NFS mount of a Solaris CD image.

If the Boot Server Uses ...	Then ...
Local CD-ROM drive	1) Insert the Solaris CD into the CD-ROM drive. 2) Go to Step 3.
NFS mount of a Solaris CD image	1) mount -F nfs -o ro server_name:path /mnt where server_name:path is the host name and absolute path to the Solaris CD image. 2) cd /mnt 3) Go to Step 4.

3. Mount the Solaris CD (if needed) and change the directory to the mounted CD:

If the Boot Server Is ...	Then ...
Running Volume Management	cd /cdrom/cdrom0/s0 orcd /cdrom/cdrom0/s2 Note: Volume Management is running if the /vol directory on the system contains files. Systems running Solaris 2.0 or 2.1 do not have Volume Management.
Not running Volume Management	1) mount -F hsfs -o ro /dev/dsk/c0t6d0s0 /cdrom ormount -F hsfs -o ro /dev/dsk/c0t6d0p0 /cdrom 2) cd /cdrom

4. Use the setup_install_server command to set up the boot server for the subnet.

   The setup_install_server command copies all supported platform information to the local disk.

# ./setup_install_server -b boot_dir_path

In this command,

-b	Specifies that the system will be set up as a boot server.
boot_dir_path	Specifies the directory where the platform information will be copied. You can substitute any directory path.

For example, the following command copies platform information necessary for booting supported platforms over the network:

./setup_install_server -b /export/install

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Note - The setup_install_server command will indicate if you do not have enough disk space to copy the platform dependent information. Use the df -kl command to determine available disk space.

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The boot server is now set up to boot supported systems on a subnet. To continue, go to How to Set Up Servers for Network Installation of a Standalone, Server, or Dataless Client on page 29.

Setting Up Servers for Network Installation

This section describes how to set up appropriate servers necessary to install a system over a network. The next table shows servers required for each system type you want to install.

1 If System Type You Are Installing Is ...	Then You Need This Server Support ...
Standalone system	Install server
OS server	Install server
Dataless client	Install server and OS server

1. Systems also require a boot server if they are on a different subnet than the install server.

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Note - When you install a server, you must allocate disk space required for the clients that server will support. Then, after the server is installed, you must use the Solstice Host Manager and add the platform support required by those clients.

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· How to Set Up Servers for Network Installation of a Standalone, Server, or Dataless Client

Once you have an install server set up, you are ready to use it to install Solaris software on other systems on the network. Before you can actually do that, however, you need to provide some basic system information about the systems that you are going to install. You do this by using the Solstice Host Manager.

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Note - SunSoft plans to remove support for the dataless client system type after Solaris 2.5. You can set up this system type now, but in future releases you will need to change it to a different type (standalone, OS server, diskless client, or AutoClient system.)

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The procedure to add system information about standalone systems, servers, and dataless clients to the install server can all be accomplished using the Solstice Host Manager. You simply fill out a form and apply the information you provide, and the Solstice Host Manager updates the appropriate files and name server maps or tables.

Overview - This procedure involves:

• Using the Solstice Host Manager to update the name service, to add information about the standalone, server, or dataless client to the install server's configuration files, and, if necessary, to set up a file server

Follow this procedure to set up the install server to install a standalone system, a server, or a dataless client on the network.

1. On the install server, log in as a user in the administration group (group 14).

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Caution - If your system is part of the NIS+ name service, you must run the Solstice AdminSuite^(TM) while logged in as a user in the NIS+ admin group. Otherwise, you will not have permission to update configuration information on the name server.

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2. Start the Solstice AdminSuite with the following command.

$ /usr/bin/solstice &

3. After the Solstice AdminSuite main window appears, click on the Host Manager icon.

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Note - If your site uses the Domain Name Service (DNS), you will have to modify the /etc/nsswitch.conf file and create the /etc/resolv.conf file manually. For detailed information, see the NIS+ and FNS Administration Guide.

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4. On the Host Manager: Select Naming Service screen, select a naming service and click on the Apply button. See the sample Naming Service screen below.

If the Name Service Is ...	Then Select ...
NIS+	NIS+. Host Manager will update the NIS+ tables.
NIS	NIS. Host Manager will update the NIS maps.
None	None. Host Manager will store the information you provide in the /etc files. This will provide enough information for systems to boot, and to install Solaris software over the network.

5. On the Host Manager main window, choose Add... from the Edit menu.

6. Determine your next step based on what kind of system you want to install.

System to Be Installed Is ...	Then ...
Standalone system	Go to Step 7.
OS server	Go to Step 10.
Dataless client	Go to Step 13.

7. On the Host Manager: Add Host screen, complete all fields and click on the OK or Apply button.

8. On the Host Manager main window, choose Save Changes from the File menu.

9. Go to Task Complete on page 35.

   Step 10 through Step 13 are only required if you are adding an OS server or dataless client.

10. On the Host Manager: Add Host screen, complete all fields and click on the OK or Apply button.

11. On the Host Manager main window, choose Save Changes from the File menu.

12. Go to Task Complete on page 35.

    Step 13 is required only for adding dataless clients for network installation.

13. On the Host Manager: Add Host screen, complete all fields and click on the OK or Apply button.

14. On the Host Manager main window, choose Save Changes from the File menu.

The standalone system, OS server, or dataless client is now added for network installation. You are now ready to boot and install over the network. To find the correct booting and installing procedure in this book, see the appropriate chapter for the installation you want to perform:

• Chapter 6, "Booting and Installing Solaris: Interactive"
• Chapter 7, "Booting and Installing Solaris: Custom JumpStart"

Using add_install_client to Set Up Servers for Network Installation

Install servers running versions of Solaris released prior to Solaris 2.3.2 software may not have access to the Solstice AdminSuite. You can install the Solstice products on Solaris 2.3 and 2.4 systems and follow the instructions in How to Set Up Servers for Network Installation of a Standalone, Server, or Dataless Client on page 29. Alternatively, you can use the add_install_client command to set up the install server for network installations, as described in the next section.

· How to Use add_install_client to Set Up Servers for Network Installation

Use the add_install_client command to add information about the system to be installed to the boot server configuration files.

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

In this command,

-c............Specifies a JumpStart directory for custom JumpStart installations. This option and its arguments are required only for custom JumpStart installations.

server:jumpstart_dir_path server is the host name of the server on which the JumpStart directory is located. jumpstart_dir_path is the absolute path of the JumpStart directory.

-s............Specifies the install server.

install_server:install_dir_path install_server is the host name of the install server.

install_dir_path is the absolute path name of the mounted Solaris CD or the directory that has the copy of the Solaris CD image.

host_name	Is the host name of the standalone system or the server where Solaris software will be installed over 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. (For a detailed list of platform groups, See Appendix C, "Platform Names and Groups.")

For example, the following command copies boot information from Solaris CD image on an install server's local disk in /export/install. add_install_client sets up the /rplboot directory on the local system,

which will be the boot server. The system that will be installed is named watson, and it is a PowerPC system. The platform group for a PowerPC system is prep.

./add_install_client -s install_server1:/export/install watson prep

The standalone system, server, or dataless client is now added for network installation. You are now ready to boot and install over the network. To find the booting and installing procedure in this book, see the appropriate chapter for the installation you want to perform:

• Chapter 6, "Booting and Installing Solaris: Interactive"
• Chapter 7, "Booting and Installing Solaris: Custom JumpStart"

Preconfiguring the Default Locale

When installing a localized version of Solaris software, you are prompted for the locale (the language) you want to use for the duration of the installation process. The locale you choose for installing Solaris software is also the default locale the installed version of Solaris will provide to the system's user.

You can set up a default locale of your choice. You do this by modifying the naming service (NIS or NIS+). After you modify the name service, as described in this section, the operating system will use this default locale for users. Also, the installation software will use the default locale for all future installations.

Choose from the following two procedures, depending on whether your site uses the NIS or NIS+ name service.

· How to Preconfigure Default Locale Using NIS

Overview - The procedure to preconfigure the default locale at sites using the NIS name service involves:

• Using the vi or text editor to edit files in the /var/yp/Makefile file
• Creating a locale file in the /etc directory
• Updating the NIS maps

Follow these instructions to set up a default locale for the system being installed over the network.

1. On the name server, log in and become root and edit the

   /var/yp/Makefile file. Add the following text after the other *.time entries.

locale.time: $(DIR)/locale -@if [ -f $(DIR)/locale ]; then \ sed -e "/^#/d" -e s/#.*$$// $(DIR)/locale \ | awk '{for (i = 2; i<=NF; i++) print $$i, $$0}' \ | $(MAKEDBM) - $(YPDBDIR)/$(DOM)/locale.byname; \ touch locale.time; \ echo "updated locale"; \ if [ ! $(NOPUSH) ]; then \ $(YPPUSH) locale.byname; \ echo "pushed locale"; \ else \ : ; \ fi \ else \ echo "couldn't find $(DIR)/locale"; \ fi

2. Edit the /var/yp/Makefile file.

   a. Add locale to the line starting with the word all. b. Add locale: locale.time on a new line.

all: passwd group hosts ethers networks rpc services protocols netgroup bootparams aliases \ timezone locale locale: locale.time

3. Create the file /etc/locale and make one entry for each domain.

domain_name locale

The entry specifies the default locale for the domain. For example, the following line specifies French to be the default locale for the worknet.com domain:

worknet.com fr

You can also use a host name instead of the domain name to specify the default locale for a particular host. For example, the following line specifies Korean to be the default locale for system named sherlock:

sherlock ko

See the table on page 42 for a list of valid locale values.

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Note - Not all locales are available on all Solaris CDs. The locale you select will be used for installation if it is present on the Solaris CD.

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4. Make the maps.

# cd /var/yp; make

Systems in the name service are now set up to use the default locale. The default language you have specified will be used during the installation and will also be the language provided to system users.

· How to Preconfigure Default Locale Using NIS+

Overview - The procedure to preconfigure the default locale at sites using the NIS+ name service involves:

• Using the nistbladm command to create a locale table and add information to it
• Updating the NIS+ tables

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Note - The installation software is not translated to the Asian locales, so this procedure will not work for any of the Asian locales.

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Follow these instructions to set up a default locale for a system being installed over the network. (This procedure assumes the NIS+ domain is set up. Setting up the NIS+ domain is documented in the NIS+ and FNS Administration Guide.)

1. Log in to a name server as root or as a user in the NIS+ admin group.

2. Use the following nistbladm command to create the locale table.

# nistbladm -D access=og=rmcd,nw=r -c locale_tbl name=SI,nogw= locale=,nogw= comment=,nogw= locale.org_dir.'nisdefaults -d'

3. Add an entry to the locale.org_dir table by typing the following nistbladm command.

# nistbladm -a name=domain_name locale=locale comment=comment locale.org_dir.'nisdefaults -d'

In this command,

domain_name	Is either the domain name or a specific host name for which you want to preconfigure a default locale.
locale	Is the locale you want to use to install the system and the locale you want to come up on users' systems. The following table shows valid values for locale.

Language..........Valid locale Values

Chinese	zh
English (Solaris default)	C
French	fr
German	de
Italian	it
Japanese	ja
Korean	ko
Latin American	es
Swedish	sv
Taiwanese	zh_TW

comment.......Is the comment field. Use double quotation marks to begin and end comments that are longer than one word.

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Note - Not all locales are available on all Solaris CDs. The locale you select will be used for installation if it is present on the Solaris CD.

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Systems in the name service are now set up to use the default locale. The default language you have specified will be used during the installation and will also be the language provided to system users.