Dhcpd SUNW options and jumpstart...

Question

I am having problems getting my SUNW,Sun-Blade-100 's to boot from via
boot net:dhcp - installIt acquires the the ip address and boots from the tftp server just fine. The problem is that I have a 'sysidcfg' file on the NFS server and it is read by the install process (That is, I can see the printout that says it has read the sysidcfg file), but the install does not seem to use it to configure the system. It then reverts to a manual configuration.
Any Ideas as to how to get the clients to use the 'sysidcfg'?
I am using
Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Server V3.0.5 -- on CentOS Linux
the tftp server is also on the CentOS Linux server
The NFS server is running solaris 10.
To add to the confusion, the NFS server is on a different subnet then the install clients.
My setup.
This setup is spread accross multiple files by way of 'include "/path/to/foo.conf", but this is the order in which they appear.
Odviously the IP's are changed and the FQDN's are changed to example.com.
ddns-update-style none;
option domain-name-servers x.y.33.100, x.y.33.101;
allow bootp;
always-reply-rfc1048 on;
option space SUNW;
option SUNW.root-mount-options code 1 = text;
option SUNW.root-server-ip-address code 2 = ip-address;
option SUNW.root-server-hostname code 3 = text;
option SUNW.root-path-name code 4 = text;
option SUNW.swap-server-ip-address code 5 = ip-address;
option SUNW.swap-file-path code 6 = text;
option SUNW.boot-file-path code 7 = text;
option SUNW.posix-timezone-string code 8 = text;
option SUNW.boot-read-size code 9 = unsigned integer 16;
option SUNW.install-server-ip-address code 10 = ip-address;
option SUNW.install-server-hostname code 11 = text;
option SUNW.install-path code 12 = text;
option SUNW.sysid-config-file-server code 13 = text;
option SUNW.JumpStart-server code 14 = text;
option SUNW.terminal-name code 15 = text;
option SUNW.SbootURI code 16 = text;
option SUNW.JumpStart-server "mysrv:/export/jumpstart/sol10/jumpstart";
option SUNW.install-server-hostname "mysrv";
option SUNW.install-server-ip-address x.y.56.7;
option SUNW.install-path "/export/jumpstart/sol10";
option SUNW.root-server-hostname "mysrv";
option SUNW.root-server-ip-address x.y.56.7;
option SUNW.root-path-name "/export/jumpstart/sol10/Solaris_10/Tools/Boot";
option SUNW.sysid-config-file-server = "mysrv:/export/jumpstart/sol10/jumpstart";
subnet x.y.140.0 netmask 255.255.254.0 {
   authoritative;
   default-lease-time 86400;
   max-lease-time 172800;
   option broadcast-address x.y.141.255;
   option routers x.y.140.1;
   option domain-name "example.com";
   next-server x.y.140.6;
shared-network example-corp {
   option broadcast-address x.y.63.255;
   option routers x.y.33.1;
   option subnet-mask 255.255.224.0;
   option domain-name "example.com";
   next-server x.y.56.122;
   default-lease-time 43200;
   max-lease-time 86400;
   subnet x.y.32.0 netmask 255.255.224.0 {
      not authoritative;
   # Become authoritative on the networks we 'Own'
   subnet x.y.56.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
      authoritative;
   subnet x.y.57.128 netmask 255.255.255.128 {
      authoritative;
use-host-decl-names on;
group {
   vendor-option-space SUNW;
   filename "sol10-u3";
host afu      { hardware ethernet 00:03:ba:xx:xx:xx; fixed-address x.y.140.90;  }
# -- CUT --
}my sysidcfg file is located at mysrv:/export/jumpstart/sol10/jumpstart/sysidcfg
look like
system_locale=en_CA
timezone=Canada/Mountain
terminal=sun-cmd
timeserver=x.y.56.15
name_service=DNS {domain_name=example.com
                  name_server=x.y.33.100, x.y.33.101
                  search=example.com}
network_interface=PRIMARY {dhcp protocol_ipv6=no}
security_policy=NONE
root_password=secretA couple things that come to mind that I don't have the answer to, and can't find in the Docs:
1) Do the dhcpd, tftp and the NFS server all need to be the same server for some reason?
2) In regards to the dhcpd, is there some protocol that the sun-boxes expect that the dhcp server is not giving?
3) Is having the NFS share across subnets of any consequence?
Thank you all in advance, any help will be appreciated.

Answer 1

Pelleux wrote:
I am having problems getting my SUNW,Sun-Blade-100 's to boot from via
boot net:dhcp - installIt acquires the the ip address and boots from the tftp server just fine. The problem is that I have a 'sysidcfg' file on the NFS server and it is read by the install process (That is, I can see the printout that says it has read the sysidcfg file), but the install does not seem to use it to configure the system. It then reverts to a manual configuration.What questions are asked? Exactly what is the behavior that it shows?
Any Ideas as to how to get the clients to use the 'sysidcfg'?It sounds like it is using it, but perhaps the entries are not complete, or something else is happening.
my sysidcfg file is located at mysrv:/export/jumpstart/sol10/jumpstart/sysidcfg
look like
system_locale=en_CA
timezone=Canada/Mountain
terminal=sun-cmd
timeserver=x.y.56.15
name_service=DNS {domain_name=example.com
name_server=x.y.33.100, x.y.33.101
search=example.com}
network_interface=PRIMARY {dhcp protocol_ipv6=no}
security_policy=NONE
root_password=secret
The specific bits you need depend on the specific version of Solaris that you're installing. Does the installer ask you questions about all of those items? If not, it sounds like the file is being read. What release is being installed? I don't see any mention of a default_router. You may want to supply one (or define NONE) here.
(I wouldn't bother with an external timeserver. I find it easier to specify timeserver=localhost and fix the time post-boot. Probably not your problem here, but I've seen it cause problems in older setups).
A couple things that come to mind that I don't have the answer to, and can't find in the Docs:
1) Do the dhcpd, tftp and the NFS server all need to be the same server for some reason?No. The fact that you're getting to this point shows that all of that phase is working. You've already succesfully booted from the NFS root filesystem and are running Solaris.
2) In regards to the dhcpd, is there some protocol that the sun-boxes expect that the dhcp server is not giving?No. You're done with DHCP by this point. Congratulations.
3) Is having the NFS share across subnets of any consequence?Shouldn't be.
Darren