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Solaris Express Installation Guide: Network-Based Installations
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Adding Systems to Be Installed From the Network With a DVD Image

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:

  • An install server

  • A boot server if it is required

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

  • A name server if you use a naming service to preconfigure system information

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

Use the following add_install_client procedure for setting up install servers and clients. Also, see the example procedures for the following:

  • If you are using DHCP to set installation parameters for a SPARC client, see Example 5-6.

  • If your install server and client are on the same subnet, see Example 5-7.

  • If your install server and your client are not on the same subnet and you are not using DHCP, see Example 5-8.

  • If you are using DHCP to set installation parameters for x86 clients, see Example 5-9.

  • If you want to use a specific serial port to display output during the installation of an x86 based system, see Example 5-10.

For more options to use with this command, see the man page, add_install_client(1M).

To Add Systems to Be Installed From the Network With add_install_client (DVD)

After you create an install server, you must set up each system that you want to install from the network.

Use the following add_install_client procedure for set up an x86 client to install from the network.

Before You Begin

If you have a boot server, make sure you have shared the install server installation image and started the appropriate services. See “To Create a SPARC Install Server With SPARC or x86 DVD Media” Step 6.

Each system that you want to install needs to find the following items.

  • Install server

  • Boot server if it is required

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

  • Name server if you use a naming service to preconfigure system information

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

  1. On the install server or boot server, become superuser or assume an equivalent role.
  2. If you use the NIS, NIS+, DNS, or LDAP naming service, verify that the following information about the system to be installed has been added to the naming service.

    • Host name

    • IP address

    • Ethernet address

    For more information on naming services, see System Administration Guide: Naming and Directory Services (DNS, NIS, and LDAP).

  3. Add the client to the install server's /etc/ethers file.
    1. On the client, find the ethers address. The /etc/ethers map is taken from the local file.
      # ifconfig -a grep ether
ether 8:0:20:b3:39:1d
    2. On the install server, open the /etc/ethers file in an editor. Add the address to the list.
  4. Change to the Tools directory on the Solaris DVD image:
    # cd /install_dir_path/Solaris_11/Tools
    install_dir_path

    Specifies the path to the Tools directory

  5. Set up the client system so it can be installed from the network. 
    # ./add_install_client -d -s install_server:install_dir_path \
-c jumpstart_server:jumpstart_dir_path  -p sysid_server:path \
-t boot_image_path -b "boot-property=value" \
-e ethernet_address client_name platform_group
    -d

    Specifies that the client is to use DHCP to obtain the network install parameters. If you use the -d only, the add_install_client command sets up the installation information for client systems of the same class, for example, all SPARC client machines. To set up the installation information for a specific client, use the -d with the -e option.

    For x86 clients, use this option to boot the systems from the network by using PXE network boot. The output of this option lists the DHCP options you need to create on the DHCP server.

    For more information about class-specific installations by using DHCP, see Creating DHCP Options and Macros for Solaris Installation Parameters.

    -s install_server:install_dir_path

    Specifies the name and path to the install server.

    • install_server is the host name of the install server.

    • install_dir_path is the absolute path to the Solaris DVD image.

    -c jumpstart_server:jumpstart_dir_path

    Specifies a JumpStart directory for custom JumpStart installations. jumpstart_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.

    -p sysid_server:path

    Specifies the path to the sysidcfg file for preconfiguring system information. sysid_server is either a valid host name or an IP address for the server that contains the file. path is the absolute path to the directory containing the sysidcfg file.

    -t boot_image_path

    Specifies the path to an alternate boot image if you want to use a boot image other than the one in the Tools directory on the current Solaris release net installation image, CD, or DVD.

    -b “boot-property=value”

    x86 based systems only: Enables you to set the value of a boot property variable that you want to use to boot the client from the network. The -b option must be used with the -e option.

    See the eeprom(1M) man page for descriptions of boot properties.

    -e ethernet_address

    Specifies the Ethernet address of the client that you want to install. This option enables you to set up the installation information to use for a specific client, including a boot file for that client.

    In the current Solaris release for x86 systems, the nbp. prefix is not used in boot file names. For example, if you specify -e 00:07:e9:04:4a:bf for an x86 based client, the command creates the boot file 010007E9044ABF.i86pc in the /tftpboot directory. However, the current Solaris release supports the use of legacy boot files with the nbp. prefix.

    For more information about client-specific installations by using DHCP, see Creating DHCP Options and Macros for Solaris Installation Parameters.

    client_name

    Is the name of the system to be installed from the network. This name is not the host name of the install server.

    platform_group

    Is the platform group of the system to be installed. For more information, see Platform Names and Groups in Solaris Express Installation Guide: Planning for Installation and Upgrade.

Example 5-6 SPARC: Adding a SPARC Install Client on a SPARC Install Server When Using DHCP (DVD)

The following example illustrates how to add an install client when you are using DHCP to set installation parameters on the network. The install client is named basil, which is an UltraTM 5 system. The file system /export/home/dvdsparc/Solaris_11/Tools contains the add_install_client command.

For more information on how to use DHCP to set installation parameters for network installations, see Preconfiguring System Configuration Information With the DHCP Service (Tasks).

sparc_install_server# cd /export/home/dvdsparc/Solaris_11/Tools
sparc_install_server# ./add_install_client -d basil sun4u
Example 5-7 Adding an Install Client That Is On the Same Subnet As Its Server (DVD)

The following example illustrates how to add an install client that is on the same subnet as the install server. The install client is named basil, which is an Ultra 5 system. The file system /export/home/dvdsparc/ contains the add_install_client command.

install_server# cd /export/home/dvdsparc/Solaris_11/Tools
install_server# ./add_install_client basil sun4u
Example 5-8 Adding an Install Client to a Boot Server (DVD)

The following example illustrates how to add an install client to a boot server. The install client is named rose, which is an Ultra 5 system. Run the command on the boot server. The -s option is used to specify an install server that is named rosemary, which contains a Solaris Operating System for SPARC Platforms DVD image in /export/home/dvdsparc.

boot_server# cd /export/home/dvdsparc/Solaris_11/Tools
boot_server# ./add_install_client -s rosemary:/export/home/dvdsparc rose sun4u
Example 5-9 x86: Adding a Single x86 Install Client on an x86 Install Server When Using DHCP (DVD)

The following example illustrates how to add an x86 install client to an install server when you are using DHCP to set installation parameters on the network.

  • The -d option is used to specify that clients are to use the DHCP protocol for configuration. If you plan to use PXE network boot, you must use the DHCP protocol.

  • The -e option indicates that this installation will only occur on the client with the Ethernet address 00:07:e9:04:4a:bf .

  • The -s option is used to specify that the clients are to be installed from the install server that is named rosemary.

This server contains a Solaris Operating System for x86 Platforms DVD image in /export/home/dvdx86.

x86_install_server# cd /export/boot/dvdx86/Solaris_11/Tools
x86_install_server# ./add_install_client -d -e 00:07:e9:04:4a:bf \ -s rosemary:/export/home/dvdx86 i86pc

The previous commands set up the client with the Ethernet address 00:07:e9:04:4a:bf as an installation client. The boot file 010007E9044ABF.i86pc is created on the installation server. In previous releases, this boot file was named nbp.010007E9044ABF.i86pc.

For more information on how to use DHCP to set installation parameters for network installations, see Preconfiguring System Configuration Information With the DHCP Service (Tasks).

Example 5-10 x86: Specifying a Serial Console to Use During a Network Installation (DVD)

The following example illustrates how to add an x86 install client to an install server and specify a serial console to use during the installation. This example sets up the install client in the following manner.

  • The -d option indicates that the client is set up to use DHCP to set installation parameters.

  • The -e option indicates that this installation will occur only on the client with the Ethernet address 00:07:e9:04:4a:bf.

  • The -b option instructs the installation program to use the serial port ttya as an input and an output device.

Use this set of commands to add the client.

install server# cd /export/boot/dvdx86/Solaris_11/Tools
install server# ./add_install_client -d -e "00:07:e9:04:4a:bf" \ -b "console=ttya" i86pc

For a complete description of the boot property variables and values you can use with the -b option, see the eeprom(1M) man page.

More Information
Continuing the Installation

If you are using a DHCP server to install the x86 based client over the network, configure the DHCP server and create the options and macros that are listed in the output of the add_install_client -d command. For instructions about how to configure a DHCP server to support network installations, see Preconfiguring System Configuration Information With the DHCP Service (Tasks).

x86 based systems: If you are not using a DHCP server, you must boot the system from a local Solaris OS DVD or CD.

See Also

For additional information about the add_install_client command, see install_scripts(1M).
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