Using Web Start Flash
Web Start Flash enables you to install several systems with the same software configuration. The configuration can include the Solaris Operating Environment and any additional software packages you choose. Web Start Flash is most useful for installing large numbers of client computers that require the same software configuration or for reinstalling client computers that are frequently reinstalled.
To use Web Start Flash, you first create a master system, which has the configuration you want to replicate. Then, you create a Flash archive from the master computer. Finally, using any of the Solaris installation methods, you install the archive on the client computers.
Using Web Start Flash for installation is much faster than performing an installation from the CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or over the network. Combine that with the fact that you can be assured of a specific configuration, and Web Start Flash is an attractive option for installing and reinstalling client computers.
Overview of Web Start Flash
Web Start Flash makes the process of installing several identical client computers easy. With Web Start Flash, you install and configure Solaris on one computer, which is called the master system. The master system needs to have the exact configuration that you want to replicate. Then, you create a Flash archive from the master system. The Web Start Flash archive is essentially just a copy of all the files on the master system.
After you have created your archive, you can use suninstall, JumpStart, Web Start, or Solaris Live Upgrade to propagate the archive image to client computers. The clients, also called clones, will have the exact same configuration as the master system.
| Note | Web Start Flash is for initial installations only and cannot be used for upgrades. |
Creating Web Start Flash Archives
The basis of Web Start Flash installations is the archive, which is created from the master system. Because you are creating the archive from a specific computer, it makes sense that you need to install and configure this computer before you can create the archive.
Your first task, then, is to install and configure the master system. You can install Solaris by using any installation method you choose. After Solaris is installed, you can add, remove, or modify software to suit your needs, including adding third-party applications. Remember, you will be making an exact copy of this computer, to be installed on other computers.
One of the keys to Web Start Flash is that the master system must have the same kernel architecture as the clones. In other words, if the master archive was created from a computer that has the sun4u architecture, then the clones must also be sun4u. Along the same lines, computers requiring different software configurations also need different archives.
There is no limit to the number of archives that you can create, other than hard disk limitations. Archives can get quite large, in the range of hundreds of megabytes to gigabytes.
Two issues that are always raised when talking about Web Start Flash are system peripherals and host-specific files:
Peripheral devices It's possible that your master and clone systems will have different peripheral devices. If you install the master system with the Core, End User, Developer, or Entire Software groups, the master system (and therefore the clones) will support only those devices attached to the master computer at the time of archive creation.
If your clone systems have peripheral devices that your master system does not have, you can install support for those devices on the master in one of two ways. The first is to install the Entire Plus OEM Software group on the master computer. The other is to add the specific software packages needed to support the additional peripherals. Then, when the archive is installed on the clones, the devices on the clones will be supported.
Host-specific files When the archive is copied to clone systems, some host-specific files are automatically deleted and re-created. Using the sys-unconfig and sysidtool commands, the system re-creates the necessary files, including /etc/hosts, /etc/defaultrouter, and /etc/ defaultdomain.
After your master system is installed and configured, you can create the archive. Web Start Flash archives can be created while Solaris is in single-user or multiuser mode, and it's best to create the archive when the master system is in as static of a state as possible. You don't want a lot of system activity when trying to create the archive, so most people will recommend booting the system to single-user mode, even though it's not required. The archive will contain all the files located on the master system, as well as some identification information, such as the archive name, master system name, and author of the archive.
Archives are created with the flarcreate command. When you initially create the archive, you can store it on the local hard disk or a tape device. After the archive is saved, you can copy it to any file system location or media type you want. Examples are NFS, HTTP, or FTP servers, tape device, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, or hard disk. Archives can be compressed to save disk space with the compress utility, or with a command-line option in flarcreate.
Here are the steps to create an archive:
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Install and configure your master system. For information on Installing and configuring Solaris, see Chapter 2.
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Boot the master system. If possible, boot into single-user mode. If not, close down all applications. Additionally, you can create an archive if you boot to the Solaris 9 DVD or the Solaris 9 Software 1 of 2 CD.
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Create the archive.
# flarcreate -n name options path/filename
The name variable is the name of the archive, which is stored in the archive under the content_name keyword. The options for flarcreate are explained in Table 16.6. Finally, path/filename is the path and filename of the archive. If you do not specify a path, the archive will be created in the current directory.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| -n name | The name of the archive, stored in the archive as the content_ name keyword. |
| -a author | For identification purposes; uses author as the value for the content_author keyword. |
| -b blocksize | Block size that flarcreate uses when creating the archive on a tape device. The default is 64KB. |
| -c | Compresses the archive by using the compress utility. |
| -d dir | Retrieves the user-defined section file that is specified with the -u switch. |
| -e desc | For identification purposes; uses desc as the value of the content_description keyword. |
| -E desc_file | For identification purposes; obtains the value for the content_ description keyword from the desc_file. Cannot be used with -e. |
| -f file_list | Adds the files in the file_list to the archive. Specify one file per line. |
| -F | Uses only the files in the file_list to create the archive. |
| -H | Does not generate the hash identifier. |
| -i date | For identification purposes; uses date as the value for the creation_date keyword, in the format of YYYYMMDDhhmmss. |
| -m master | For identification purposes; uses master as the value for the creation_master keyword. The name of the master system. |
| -p posn | Used with the -t option to specify the position on the tape device on which to store the archive. If not used, the tape's current position is used. |
| -R root | Uses root as the root file system for archive creation. By default, the root is the root file system (/). |
| -S | Does not include sizing information in the archive. |
| -T type | For identification purposes; uses type as the value for the content_type keyword. |
| -u section | Includes a user-defined section in the archive. |
| -x exclude | Excludes the file or directory specified from the archive. |
After the archive is created, you can move or copy the file just as you would any other file in your file system.
Installing Web Start Flash Archives
One of the endearing qualities of using Web Start Flash archives is that they can be used with any of the four Solaris installation methods.
In this section, you will learn how to install Web Start Flash archives by using the Web Start, suninstall, JumpStart, and Live Upgrade installation methods. It's assumed at this point that you understand the basic installation processes. If you need a review, see Chapter 2.
Using Web Start
If you're using Web Start to install Solaris, the archive can be located on a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM, NFS, HTTP, or FTP server, or a local tape device. Here's how to install a Web Start Flash archive by using the Solaris Web Start program:
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Begin the Solaris Web Start installation.
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On the Specify Media panel, choose the location of your Web Start Flash archive.
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Specify the path to the Web Start Flash archive, including server name if necessary.
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If you are installing an archive from DVD, CD, or an NFS server, the Select Flash Archives screen will be displayed. Select one or more archives that you want to install.
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Confirm your choices on the Flash Archives Summary screen.
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Select the media on which another archive is located, if you want to install layered archives. If you do not want to install an additional archive, choose None and click Next to continue installing Solaris.
Using suninstall
If you want to use the suninstall program to install Solaris with a Flash archive, you can use archives that are located on an HTTP, FTP, or NFS server, local hard disk, local tape device, or local CD-ROM. Here's how to install a Web Start Flash archive by using suninstall:
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Launch the suninstall installation program.
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On the Flash Archive Retrieval Method screen, select the location of your Web Start Flash archive.
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Specify the path to the archive, including the server name, if the archive is not on a local device.
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On the Flash Archive Selection screen, choose New if you want to install layered archives. If not, choose Continue to finish the installation.
Using Custom JumpStart
Web Start Flash archives can be located on NFS, HTTP, and FTP servers, as well as local devices, to be used with custom JumpStart. Here are the steps needed to use a Flash archive with custom JumpStart:
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On the JumpStart install server, create a rules file.
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On the JumpStart profile server, create a profile.
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Make sure that the install_type is flash_install.
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Use the archive_location keyword to indicate the Web Start Flash archive path.
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Specify the file system configuration, as installing with Web Start Flash archives does not allow for file system auto-layout.
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If you want to specify layered archives, add an archive_location line for each archive.
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On the JumpStart install server, add the clients you are installing by using the Web Start Flash archive.
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Begin the custom JumpStart installation.
| Note | If you are using custom JumpStart to install a Web Start Flash archive, only four of the keywords covered earlier in this chapter are valid in the JumpStart profile. They are install_type (which is required), filesys (which cannot be set to auto), partitioning (which can be explicit or existing), and archive_ location. |
Here is an example of a custom JumpStart profile designed to install a Web Start Flash archive:
install_type flash_install archive_location nfs Athena:/jumpstart/wsfarchive partitioning explicit filesys c0t3d0s0 6000 / filesys c0t3d0s1 1024 swap filesys c0t3d0s7 free /export/home
Using Solaris Live Upgrade
Finally, you can install Web Start Flash archives from within the Solaris Live Upgrade program. This combination might seem counterintuitive. After all, Live Upgrade is for upgrading in place, whereas Web Start Flash archives can be used only for initial installations, not upgrades. As odd as it might seem, it still works.
To use a Flash archive with Solaris Live Upgrade, the archive must be located on an HTTP, FTP, or NFS server, or a local hard disk, tape device, or CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. Installing a Web Start Flash archive overwrites all files on the new boot environment, except for shared files.
| Note | To upgrade or install a Flash archive on a new boot environment, the device containing the new boot environment must be a physical slice. If the new boot environment is contained on a Solaris Volume Manager metadevice or other logical volume, the installation of the flash archive will fail. |
Here is how to install a Flash archive on a boot environment from the character interface:
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From the Solaris Live Upgrade main menu, choose Flash.
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Type the name of the boot environment where the archive will be installed and the location of the installation media.
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Press the F1 key to add an archive. You can add or remove archives at this point. If you have multiple archives listed, then you will layer the Flash installation.
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Press the F3 key to install the archive or archives. After completion, the boot environment is ready to be activated.
Here is how to install a Flash archive on a boot environment from a command-line interface:
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Log on as the superuser and type the following:
# luupgrade -f -n BE_name -s os_image_path -j profile_path
| Note | You must use the -J, -j, or -a options. The luupgrade options are explained in Table 16.7.
|
The boot environment is ready to be activated.
Using Web Start Flash archives with Solaris Live Upgrade is an uncommon event. Most of the time, Flash archives are used in conjunction with suninstall or Web Start, because they are both quick and convenient installation choices.
Managing Web Start Flash Archives
Web Start Flash archives are text files, broken down into sections. Three of the sections are automatically created for you when you use the flarcreate command. The fourth section type is the user-defined section(s). User-defined sections are not processed by flarcreate. However, you can create a script to process archives, and then user-defined sections could be of benefit.
Here is a sample Flash archive:
FlAsH-aRcHiVe-1.1 section_begin=identification archive_id=5d4eff1fd3221cbfd41a579f3ea2c5c2 files_archived_method=cpio creation_date=20030122004540 creation_master=Q-Sol content_name=optprof creation_node=Q-Sol creation_hardware_class=sun4u creation_platform=SUNW,Sun-Blade-100 creation_processor=sparc creation_release=5.9 creation_os_name=SunOS creation_os_version=Generic files_compressed_method=none files_archived_size=512 content_architectures=sun4u section_end=identification section_begin=archive 070701000000000000000000000000000000000000000100000000000000000000000
The three sections are the cookie section (which is not present in the example), the identification section, and the file section. Each section is defined by section_begin and section_end keywords. The keyword for the cookie section is cookie, for the identification section is identification, and for the file section is archive.
Layering Archives
In the "Installing Web Start Flash Archives" section, you probably noticed mention of layering archives. Laying archives literally means installing one archive over another. Layering archives gives you flexibility.
For example, say that you create one archive that contains the Solaris Operating Environment. Then, you create a second archive that contains the files necessary to run a web server, and a third archive that contains the files needed for an NIS+ installation. To create a backup web server, you could install archives 1 and 2, and to create another NIS+ server, you can install archives 1 and 3. Layering archives gives you flexibility. If you wanted just a "normal" Solaris server, you could just install the first archive.
| Note | If you layer archives, the Solaris Product Registry database will have no knowledge of the software installed by the additional archives. |
To create layered archives, you first create an archive with the flarcreate command. Then, you use the flar command to split the archives. To split archives into individual sections, the flar -s command is used:
# flar -s -d dir -u section -f archive -S section filename
The -d option gets the archive sections from the specified directory instead of the current directory. The u option is used to copy specified sections, instead of the default of copying all sections in the archive. The -f option copies the archive section into the specified directory instead of placing it in the current directory with the filename of archive. The -S option copies only the specified section from the archive.
Combining Archives
If you have split archives into individual sections, you can recombine sections into one archive with the flar -c command.
Also, to get information about existing archives, use the flar -i command.
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