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Provisioning process for Solaris

To provision Oracle Solaris 10 and earlier versions of SPARC and x86 servers, BMC Server Automation uses JumpStart software. To provision Oracle Solaris 11 SPARC and x86 servers, BMC Server Automation uses AI (Automated Installer).

Note

Solaris 11 does not support JumpStart. Instead, Automated Installer is used. However, JumpStart is supported on Solaris 10 and earlier versions.

Provisioning Process for Oracle Solaris servers 10 and earlier versions

To provision Oracle Solaris 10 SPARC and x86 servers, BMC Server Automation uses JumpStart software.

For more information on setting up the JumpStart environment for provisioning, see Setting-up-the-JumpStart-environment-for-provisioning.

Provisioning SPARC devices for Oracle Solaris servers 10 and earlier versions

The BMC Server Automation JumpStart integration lets SPARC devices boot from the network using the BOOTP protocol and communicate with JumpStart's boot, config, and install servers for remote provisioning. This integration works with established protocols such as NIS, NIS+, and DHCP.

Click the thumbnail below for a full-size image depicting the provisioning process for Oracle Solaris 10 or earlier.
g_v95_ProvProcessJumpStart.png
The following numbered steps correspond to numbers in the image shown above.

  1. Prepare to provision
    To prepare for SPARC provisioning, perform the following tasks:
    • In the BMC Server Automation Console:
      • Create a system package that contains all of the instructions required to install an operating system over the network. The system package can include a reboot script, which instructs the target machine to boot from the network. This description assumes that the system package includes a reboot script.
      • Create a data store instance that points to the location of a data store containing the required operating system installation files.
      • Create a Provision Job that references the system package and data store instance.
    • On the device to be provisioned, install all necessary cabling.
    • Ensure that the OpenBoot PROM and the network card on the device are up to date.
    • In the BMC Server Automation Console, import (or add) the device. This action registers the device's MAC address (and optional additional information) with the BMC Server Automation system.
    • Open the Provision Job and add the device to the job.
    • Schedule the Provision Job to run.
  2. Provision Job runs
     The Provision Job registers the target with the JumpStart boot server so that the boot server is prepared to respond to the target's BOOTP request with the add_install_client command. The job also pushes all necessary JumpStart control files including sysidcfg, profile, and rules to the JumpStart config server.
  3. JumpStart server causes target to reboot
     After registering the target and pushing JumpStart scripts, the Provision Job instructs the JumpStart server to run the reboot script. The reboot script connects to the target device and forces it to reboot from the network and send a BOOTP request to the JumpStart server. You can use a program such as expect(1) to control the execution of a reboot script.
  4. JumpStart server pushes config files to target
     The JumpStart config server pushes required configuration files (sysidcfg, profile, and rules) to the target.
  5. JumpStart server installs operating system
     The JumpStart install server installs the operating system on the target device, following the configuration instructions in the system package/provisioning wizard.
  6. JumpStart server installs RSCD agent
     Optionally, the JumpStart server installs the RSCD agent, which is necessary for managing the server with BMC Server Automation. A registration event occurs to enter the target machine's information into the BMC Server Automation system so the server can be managed from the BMC Server Automation Console.
  7. Provision Job starts a Batch Job to perform additional configuration
     Optionally, the provisioning process can run a job that performs additional configuration of the target machine. For example, a Batch Job can install and configure all necessary applications on the target machine.

Provisioning x86 devices for Oracle Solaris servers 10 and earlier versions

The BMC Server Automation AI integration lets Solaris x86 devices boot from a PXE server using DHCP and communicate with AI servers for remote provisioning.
To provision a Solaris x86 operating system:

  • Configure the target machine's BIOS to boot to the network.
  • You must have a working Solaris x86 AI environment, which includes a PXE server. The BMC Server Automation PXE server is not compatible with the Solaris x86 PXE boot process and the two servers might have difficulties coexisting on the same network. If you require both Windows or Linux PXE provisioning and Solaris x86 provisioning, BMC recommends that you use separate networks.

Provisioning Process for Oracle Solaris servers 11 and later versions

To provision Oracle Solaris 11 SPARC and x86 servers, BMC Server Automation uses AI (Automated Installer).

For more information on setting up the JumpStart environment for provisioning, see Setting-up-the-Automated-Installer-environment-for-provisioning.

Provisioning SPARC devices for Oracle Solaris servers 11 and later versions

The BMC Server Automation Automated Installer (AI) integration lets SPARC devices boot from the network using the BOOTP protocol. This integration works with established protocols such as NIS, NIS+, and DHCP.

Click the thumbnail below for a full-size image depicting the provisioning process for Oracle Solaris 11 or later.

Sol11.gif
The following numbered steps correspond to numbers in the image shown above.

  1. Prepare to provision
    To prepare for SPARC provisioning, perform the following tasks:
    • In the BMC Server Automation Console:
      • Create a system package that contains all of the instructions required to install an operating system over the network. The system package can include a reboot script, which instructs the target machine to boot from the network. This description assumes that the system package includes a reboot script.
      • Create a data store instance that points to the AI server.
      • Create a Provision Job that references the system package and data store instance.
    • On the device to be provisioned, install all necessary cabling.
    • Ensure that the OpenBoot PROM and the network card on the device are up to date.
    • In the BMC Server Automation Console, import (or add) the device. This action registers the device's MAC address (and optional additional information) with the BMC Server Automation system.
    • Open the Provision Job and add the device to the job.
    • Schedule the Provision Job to run.
  2. Provision Job runs
     The Provision Job registers the target with the AI server so that the boot server is prepared to respond to the target's BOOTP request. The job also pushes all necessary AI control files including manifest.xml, profile.xml, and installadm commands to the AI server.
  3. A client system boots and gets IP information from the DHCP server.
  4. Characteristics of the client determine which AI service and which installation instructions are used to install the client.
  5. The Oracle Solaris OS is installed on the client, pulling packages from the package repository specified by the installation instructions in the AI service.
  6. The AI server installs the RSCD agent
     Optionally, the AI server installs the RSCD agent, which is necessary for managing the server with BMC Server Automation. A registration event occurs to enter the target machine's information into the BMC Server Automation system so the server can be managed from the BMC Server Automation Console.
  7. Provision Job starts a Batch Job to perform additional configuration
     Optionally, the provisioning process can run a job that performs additional configuration of the target machine. For example, a Batch Job can install and configure all necessary applications on the target machine.

Provisioning x86 devices for Oracle Solaris servers 11 and later versions

The BMC Server Automation AI integration lets Solaris x86 devices boot from a PXE server using DHCP and communicate with AI servers for remote provisioning.
To provision a Solaris x86 operating system:

  • Configure the target machine's BIOS to boot to the network.
  • You must have a working Solaris x86 AI environment, which includes a PXE server. The BMC Server Automation PXE server is not compatible with the Solaris x86 PXE boot process and the two servers might have difficulties coexisting on the same network. If you require both Windows or Linux PXE provisioning and Solaris x86 provisioning, BMC recommends that you use separate networks.

 

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