Chapter 5 Managing Server and Client Support (Overview)

This chapter describes managing server and client support on a network, and it provides overview information about each system configuration (referred to as a system type) supported in the Solaris environment. This chapter also includes guidelines for selecting the appropriate system type to meet your needs.

This is a list of the overview information in this chapter.

• "What Are Servers and Clients?"

• "What Does Support Mean?"

• "Overview of System Types"

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Note -

AutoClient^TM and diskless systems are not supported in the Solaris 8 release. See Solstice AdminSuite 2.3 Administration Guide for information on managing existing client systems.

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What Are Servers and Clients?

Systems on the network can usually be described as one of the following:

• Server - A system that provides services to other systems in its network. There are file servers, boot servers, database servers, license servers, print servers, installation servers, and even servers for particular applications. This chapter uses the term server to mean a system that provides file systems and installation software for other systems on the network.

• Client - A system that uses remote services from a server. Some clients have limited disk storage capacity, or perhaps none at all, and they have to rely on remote file systems from a server to function.

  Other clients might use remote services (such as installation software) from a server, but they don't rely on a server to function. A standalone system, which has its own hard disk containing the root (/), /usr, and /export/home file systems and swap space, is a good example of this type of client.

What Does Support Mean?

Providing support for a system means providing software and services to help another system function. Support can include:

• Making a system known to the network (i.e., host name and ethernet address information)

• Providing installation services to remotely boot and install a system

• Providing operating system (OS) services to a system with limited or no disk space

Overview of System Types

System types are basically defined by how they access the root (/) and /usr file systems, including the swap area. For example, standalone and server systems mount these file systems from a local disk, while other clients mount the file systems remotely, relying on servers to provide these services. The table below lists these and other differences for each system type.

Table 5-1 System Type Overview

System Type	Local File Systems	Local Swap?	Remote File Systems	Network Use	Relative Performance
Server	root (/) /usr /home /opt /export/home /export/root	Yes	- none -	high	high
Standalone System	root (/) /usr /export/home	Yes	- none -	low	high
JavaStationTM	- none -	No	/home	low	high

Servers

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

Servers can also contain the following software to support other systems:

• Solaris CD image and boot software for networked systems to perform remote installations

• JumpStart^TM directory for networked systems to perform custom JumpStart installations

Standalone Systems

A networked standalone system can share information with other systems 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 the root (/), /usr, and /export/home file systems and swap space. The standalone system thus has local access to operating system software, executables, virtual memory space, and user-created files.

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Note -

A standalone system requires sufficient disk space to hold the four necessary file systems.

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A non-networked standalone system is a standalone system with all the characteristics listed above except it is not connected to a network.

JavaStation Client

The JavaStation^TM is a client designed for zero administration. This client optimizes Java^TM; the JavaStation client takes full advantage of the network to deliver everything from Java applications and services to complete, integrated system and network management. The JavaStation has no local administration; booting, administration, and data storage are handled by servers.