GCS>Sun Microsystems>Sun FAB>Standard>Reactive
 

The factory-installed Solaris(TM) Operating System (OS) and Sun Java(TM) Enterprise System (ES) software are being unnecessarily re-installed at customer sites.  It is important for service personnel to be aware when factory-installed software is present and understand the configuration details of that software.  While there are many legitimate reasons for performing a re-installation, the purpose of this FIN is to minimize instances where re-installations are being performed for no other reason than a lack of information about the factory-installed configuration.

The Customer Information Sheet (CIS) attached to the server's shipping carton will report one of the following part numbers to indicate the presence of a factory-installed operating environment:

   259-4214-01 PBI,SOL8 2/04 PRE INSTAL

   259-4279-01 PBI,SOL9 4/04 IP PRE INSTAL

   259-4331-01 PBI,SOL9 9/04 -IP PRE INSTAL

   259-4373-01 PBI, SOL10 -IP PRE INSTAL

   259-4375-01 PBI,SOL 10 X86 -IP PRE INSTAL

If Sun Java ES 2004Q2 or 2005Q1 software has been factory-installed, the CIS attached to the server's shipping carton will report one of the following part numbers:

   259-4298-01 PBI,JAVA ES R2 PRE INSTALL

   259-4382-01 PBI, JES3 -IP PRE INSTALL

Note that many servers ship with documentation and/or a removable label attached to the system chassis to indicate the presence of factory-installed software.

Pre-installed Sun software adds value for the customer.  It helps to minimize provisioning time, freeing up installation personnel for customer-specific value-add activities, and provides the customer with a complete, ready-to-deploy system.  Also, factory installations employ EIS "best practice" methodologies, ensuring that the system's software environment includes the latest EIS patch set and EIS-recommended boot drive layout.

Additional benefits include:

• Provides the benefits of EIS methodology to customers who have no Service or PS contact.

• Makes EIS methodology available on volume systems.

• Reduces call load on the Answer Centers.

1.  Before installing the Solaris OS software on a newly arrived system at a customer site, please check for the presence of factory-installed software and, when that software is present, learn the details of the factory-installed software configuration.

To determine the presence of factory-installed software, please review the CIS for software part numbers as described above. 

To learn the configuration details of the factory-installed software, please consult the following documents:

• Info Doc 82130 "Field Information Document for Understanding the Factory Installation of the Solaris Operating Environment".

• Info Doc 82134 "Field Information Document for Understanding the Factory Integration of Java Enterprise System 2004Q2".

• Info Doc 82204 "Field Information Document for Understanding the Factory Integration of Java Enterprise System 2005Q1".

2. If the factory-installed software, including disk partitioning, meets the customer's needs, then a re-install is not needed.

3. If the factory-installed software configuration does not meet the customer's needs, then it is OK to perform a re-install.

A. Solaris OS

Installation personnel should note the following about the location of installation details, the location of factory-installed components, the contents of the factory install, and the disk layout, and the unconfigured state of the software.

Location of Installation Details on the System

Details of the Solaris OS factory installation process are captured in the following log file: /var/sadm/system/logs/install_log

Location of Factory-Installed Components

All Solaris OS software packages are installed using default location values unless otherwise noted.

About the Contents of the Factory Install

The factory installation comprises the "Entire Distribution plus OEM Support" option (SUNWCXall) and includes all locales supported by a given Solaris release.

The factory installation follows Enterprise Installation Standards procedures (EIS checklists) and includes all applicable Solaris patches from the latest available EIS Installation and Patch CD. A record of EIS steps performed during the installation, including the specific EIS patch set applied, is contained in the following log file: /var/sun/EIS-CD.log

Solaris 10 installations include the specific version of SunVTS software that is included in the Extra Value directory of the associated Solaris DVD media.

Disk Layout

All Solaris factory installations are accomplished using the following EIS standard boot disk layout as specified on the Enterprise Installation Standards web site at http://EIS.germany:

Note that the remaining disk and slices are left unused to allow for file system growth, file system additions, and configuration of volume management applications such as SVM or Veritas.

Unconfigured State of the Software

All systems ship from the factory in an unconfigured state.  On first boot, the Solaris OS configuration is performed interactively.

B. Sun Java ES

Installation personnel should note the following about the location of installation details, the location of factory-installed components, the contents of the factory install, and the unconfigured state of the software.

Location of Installation Details on the System

The factory installation places a cpio image of the Java ES media into one of the following directories, depending on the specific Sun Java ES release:

/var/spool/stage/JES_04Q2

/var/spool/stage/JES_05Q1

Location of Factory-Installed Components

The factory installation places any pre-installed Sun Java ES components in their default directories as determined by the Common Installer.

About the Contents of the Factory Install

Some Sun Java ES 2004Q2 components are pre-installed, while others are merely pre-loaded. (See reference to the Message of the Day in the section "Unconfigured State of the Software" below.)  Pre-installed components are those that have been integrated into the system's runtime environment, typically as the result of a pkgadd installation.  Pre-loaded components exist in the above spool directory and must be user-installed with the Sun Java ES Common Installer utility. All Sun Java ES 2005Q1 components are pre-loaded only (not pre-installed).

Unconfigured State of the Software

The factory installation does not configure any of the Sun Java ES pre-installed components, because all servers leaving a Sun manufacturing facility must be in an unconfigured state.

Upon successful login (after bootup and Solaris initial configuration), the machine presents the user with a customized Message of the Day.  This message, residing in the /etc/motd file, provides all pertinent information about the pre-installed Java ES software, including:

• The specific components included in the release

• Which components are pre-installed versus pre-loaded

• Where to find Java ES documentation and licensing information

• How to invoke the Java ES Common Installer utility to install and/or configure Java ES components

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