How a Client Is Installed

When you set up your install server, you created at least one install service for each client architecture and each version of the Oracle Solaris OS that you plan to install. When you created each install service, you created customized installation instructions and system configuration instructions for different clients as needed. To start the automated installation, you just need to boot the client.

After you network boot the client, the installation and configuration of the client are completed using a net image, installation specifications, and system configuration specifications provided by the install service.

1. The administrator network boots the client.

2. The client system contacts the DHCP server and retrieves the client's network configuration and the location of the install server. SPARC clients can optionally use the network-boot-arguments variable set in the OBP to get this information.

3. The client system loads the net image from one of the following sources:

   • The install service assigned to this client with the installadm create-client command

   • The default install service for this architecture

4. The client system completes its installation using the AI manifest determined as described in Selecting the AI Manifest.

5. The client system reboots if auto_reboot is set in the AI manifest, or the client is rebooted by the system administrator.

6. During reboot, the client system is configured in one of the following ways:

   • Using system configuration profiles determined as described in Selecting System Configuration Profiles

   • Using the administrator's responses in the interactive system configuration tool

When the AI client installation is finished, the message “Automated Installation succeeded” displays on the screen, a completion message displays in the /system/volatile/install_log log file, and the svc:/application/auto-installer SMF service on that client reaches the online state.