Installing and Booting lx Branded Zones
Use the zoneadm command described in the zoneadm(1M) man page to perform installation
tasks for a non-global zone.
How to Obtain the Linux Archives
Before you can install the lx branded zone, you must first obtain the Linux
archives. The archives are distributed in the following forms:
- Obtain the Linux distribution using one of the following methods:
How to Install an lx Branded Zone
This procedure is used to install a configured lx branded zone. Once the
zone is installed, all software configuration and management has to be done by
the zone administrator using Linux tools from inside the zone.
See Example 33-1, Example 33-2, and Example 33-3 for examples of zone installation command lines using
the different distribution paths. If you install from discs or from an ISO
image, you must specify Sun package cluster categories. See lx Branded Zone Installation Methods for information on
package cluster categories.
Note that you can verify a zone prior to installing it. If
you skip this procedure, the verification is performed automatically when you install the zone.
The procedure is documented in (Optional) How to Verify a Configured Zone Before It Is Installed.
You must be the global administrator in the global zone to perform
this procedure.
Note - In Step 2, if the zonepath is on ZFS, the zoneadm install command automatically
creates a ZFS file system (dataset) for the zonepath when the zone is
installed. You can block this action by including the -x nodataset parameter.
- Become superuser, or assume the Primary Administrator role.
To create the role and assign the role to a user, see
Using the Solaris Management Tools With RBAC (Task Map) in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.
- (Optional) If you intend to install from DVD or CD, enable volfs
on your system and verify that it is running.
global# svcadm enable svc:/system/filesystem/volfs:default
global# svcs | grep volfs
You will see a display similar to the following:
online 17:30 svc:/system/filesystem/volfs:default
- Install the configured zone lx-zone by using the zoneadm command with the install
option and the path to the archive.
- Install the zone, automatically creating a ZFS file system if the zonepath is
on ZFS.
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone install -d archive_path
The system will display:
A ZFS file system has been created for this zone.
- Install the zone that has a zonepath on ZFS, but do not automatically
create the ZFS file system.
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone install -x nodataset -d archive_path
You will see various messages as the files and directories needed for the
zone's root file system, as well as the package files, are installed
under the zone's root path.
Note - If you do not specify archive_path, the default is CD.
- (Optional) If an error message is displayed and the zone fails to install,
type the following to get the zone state:
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone list -iv
If the state is listed as configured, make the corrections specified in the message and try the zoneadm install command again.
If the state is listed as incomplete, first execute this command:
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone uninstall
Then make the corrections specified in the message, and try the zoneadm install command again.
- When the installation completes, use the list subcommand with the -i and -v
options to list the installed zones and verify the status.
global# zoneadm list -iv
You will see a display that is similar to the following:
ID NAME STATUS PATH BRAND IP
0 global running / native shared
- lx-zone installed /export/home/lx-zone lx shared
Example 33-1 Install Command Using a CentOS Compressed
tar Archive
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone install -d /export/centos_fs_image.tar.bz2
Example 33-2 Install Command Using CentOS CDs
For CD or DVD installation, volfs must be enabled on your system. You
must specify a software cluster package. For example, use development to install a
full environment, or type the names of particular clusters. If you do not
specify a cluster package, desktop is installed by default. The CD device
is /cdrom/cdrom0.
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone install -d /cdrom/cdrom0 development
Example 33-3 Install Command Using CentOS ISO Images
You must specify a software cluster package. Use development to install a full
environment, or specify particular clusters. If you do not specify a cluster package,
desktop is installed by default. The CentOS ISO images reside in the
directory /export/centos_3.7.
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone install -d /export/centos_3.7 development
See Also
For more information on datasets, see Solaris ZFS Administration Guide
Troubleshooting
If a zone installation is interrupted or fails, the zone is left
in the incomplete state. Use uninstall -F to reset the zone to the configured
state.
How to Install a Subset of the Packages
When installing from CD or ISO images, you can install a subset
of the packages on the install media. The available subsets are core, server,
desktop, developer, and all.
You must be the global administrator in the global zone to perform
this procedure.
- Become superuser, or assume the Primary Administrator role.
To create the role and assign the role to a user, see
Using the Solaris Management Tools With RBAC (Task Map) in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.
- Install only the server package:
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone install -d archive_path server
How to Enable Networking in an lx Branded Zone
When you install an lx branded zone, networking is disabled. Use a
procedure such as this one to enable networking.
You must be the zone administrator to perform this procedure.
- Edit the /etc/sysconfig/network file in the zone.
NETWORKING=yes
HOSTNAME=your.hostname
- To set up a NIS domain, add a line similar to the
following:
NISDOMAIN=domain.Sun.COM
More Information
Configuring Networking and Naming Services
For more information on configuring networking or naming services, consult the documentation for
your Linux distribution.
How to Obtain the UUID of an Installed Branded Zone
A universally unique identifier (UUID) is assigned to a zone when it is
installed. The UUID can be obtained by using zoneadm with the list subcommand
and the -p option. The UUID is the fifth field of the display.
Example 33-4 How to Use the UUID in a Command
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone -u 61901255-35cf-40d6-d501-f37dc84eb504 list -v
If both -u uuid-match and -z zonename are present, the match is
done based on the UUID first. If a zone with the specified UUID
is found, that zone is used, and the -z parameter is ignored. If
no zone with the specified UUID is found, then the system searches by
the zone name.
More Information
About the UUID
Zones can be uninstalled and reinstalled under the same name with different contents.
Zones can also be renamed without the contents being changed. For these reasons,
the UUID is a more reliable handle than the zone name.
See Also
For more information, see zoneadm(1M) and libuuid(3LIB).
How to Mark an Installed lx Branded Zone Incomplete
If administrative changes on the system have rendered a zone unusable or inconsistent,
it is possible to change the state of an installed zone to incomplete.
You must be the global administrator in the global zone to perform
this procedure.
- Become superuser, or assume the Primary Administrator role.
To create the role and assign the role to a user, see
Using the Solaris Management Tools With RBAC (Task Map) in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.
- Mark the zone testzone incomplete.
global# zoneadm -z testzone mark incomplete
- Use the list subcommand with the -i and -v options to verify
the status.
global# zoneadm list -iv
You will see a display that is similar to the following:
ID NAME STATUS PATH BRAND IP
0 global running / native shared
- testzone incomplete /export/home/testzone lx shared
More Information
Marking a Zone Incomplete
Note - Marking a zone incomplete is irreversible. The only action that can be taken
on a zone marked incomplete is to uninstall the zone and return it
to the configured state. See How to Uninstall a Branded Zone.
(Optional) Placing an Installed lxBranded Zone in the Ready State
Transitioning into the ready state prepares the virtual platform to begin running user
processes. Zones in the ready state do not have any user processes executing
in them.
You can skip this procedure if you want to boot the zone
and use it immediately. The transition through the ready state is performed automatically when
you boot the zone.
See (Optional) How to Transition the Installed Zone to the Ready State
How to Boot an lx Branded Zone
Booting a zone places the zone in the running state. A zone can
be booted from the ready state or from the installed state. A zone
in the installed state that is booted transparently transitions through the ready state
to the running state. Zone login is allowed for zones in the running
state.
You must be the global administrator in the global zone to perform
this procedure.
Tip - Note that you cannot boot a branded zone on a Trusted Solaris
system that has labels enabled.
- Become superuser, or assume the Primary Administrator role.
To create the role and assign the role to a user, see
Using the Solaris Management Tools With RBAC (Task Map) in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.
- Use the zoneadm command with the -z option, the name of the
zone, which is lx-zone, and the boot subcommand to boot the zone.
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone boot
- When the boot completes, use the list subcommand with the -v option to
verify the status.
global# zoneadm list -v
You will see a display that is similar to the following:
ID NAME STATUS PATH BRAND IP
0 global running / native shared
1 lx-zone running /export/home/lx-zone lx shared
Example 33-5 Specifying Boot Arguments for Zones
Boot a zone using the -i altinit option:
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone boot -- -i /path/to/process
Troubleshooting
If a message indicating that the system was unable to find the
netmask to be used for the IP address specified in the zone's configuration
displays, see netmasks Warning Displayed When Booting Zone. Note that the message is only a warning and the command
has succeeded.
How to Boot an lx Branded Zone in Single-User Mode
You must be the global administrator in the global zone to perform this
procedure.
- Become superuser, or assume the Primary Administrator role.
To create the role and assign the role to a user, see
Using the Solaris Management Tools With RBAC (Task Map) in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.
- Boot the zone in single-user mode.
global# zoneadm -z lx-zone boot -- -s
Where to Go From Here
To log in to the zone , see configuration, see Logging In to an lx Branded Zone.
