ris(8) System Manager's Manual ris(8)
NAME
ris - Remote installation services (RIS) utility
SYNOPSIS
/usr/sbin/ris
/usr/sbin/ris -a client -h hwaddr [-i profset] -p path,prod[,prod]... [-t nettype]
/usr/sbin/ris -l
/usr/sbin/ris -m client [-h hwaddr] [-i profset] [-p path,prod[,prod]...] [-t nettype]
/usr/sbin/ris -r client
/usr/sbin/ris -s
OPTIONS
Invoke the ris utility without arguments to display the RIS Utility Main Menu and start an interactive session. Refer to the DESCRIPTION
section for more information. Use the -h option to specify the RIS client's hardware network address in the form xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx, where
x is a hexadecimal character. The -h option is mandatory with the -a operand and optional with the -m operand. Use the -i option to spec-
ify an installation profile set to use when you install software from a RIS area onto a RIS client. The -i option is optional with the -a
and -m operands. Use the -p option to specify the RIS area and one or more comma-separated products (prod) that the RIS client is autho-
rized to install from the RIS server. The -p option is mandatory with the -a operand and optional with the -m operand. Use risN.arch to
specify the RIS area (path), where N is an integer (0 or higher) indicating an existing RIS area on your RIS server, and arch is the system
architecture, such as alpha. For example, ris2.alpha specifies a RIS area. One or more products (prod) are specified as product_N, where
N is an integer (1 or higher) indicating a software product that you have installed in a RIS area on your server. For example, product_1
specifies a RIS area. Use the -t option to specify the network type nettype. Valid values are ethernet and ieee802 (token ring). The -t
option is optional with the -a and -m operands.
OPERANDS
client -h hwaddr [-i profset] -p path,prod[,prod]... [-t nettype]
Adds a RIS client. The client argument is the network-recognized host name of the RIS client. List registered RIS clients. client
[-h hwaddr] [-i profset] [path,prod[,prod]...] [-t nettype]
Modifies a RIS client. The client argument is the network-recognized host name of the RIS client. Removes a RIS client. The client
argument is the network-recognized host name of the RIS client. Shows software products in RIS environments.
DESCRIPTION
The ris utility manages remote installation services (RIS), letting you install software from a RIS server over a TCP/IP local area network
to a RIS client. You can install the base operating system or optional products with the ris utility. You also can add, list, modify and
delete RIS clients, and install, show, and delete software products in RIS areas. Refer to the RESTRICTIONS section for more information.
With no arguments, the /usr/sbin/ris command displays the RIS Utility Main Menu for an interactive RIS session. # /usr/sbin/ris *** RIS
Utility Main Menu ***
a) ADD a client
d) DELETE software products
i) INSTALL software products
l) LIST registered clients
m) MODIFY a client
r) REMOVE a client
s) SHOW software products in remote installation environments
x) EXIT
Enter your choice:
Available menu options depend upon previous actions, and choices not preceded by key letters are not available. For example, you cannot
list, modify, or remove clients until you add a RIS client. In that case, the m, l, and r key letters are not displayed in front of their
respective options, as shown in the following example: *** RIS Utility Main Menu ***
a) ADD a client
d) DELETE software products
i) INSTALL software products
) LIST registered clients
) MODIFY a client
) REMOVE a client
s) SHOW software products in remote installation environments
x) EXIT
Enter your choice:
The ris utility uses the /usr/var/adm/ris directory as a base. When you install the first software product, the ris utility creates a RIS
area on the disk. RIS areas are named risN.arch, where N is a sequentially-assigned integer starting with 0, and arch identifies the
client's machine architecture, such as alpha. The first RIS area for Alpha clients is named ris0.alpha. Additional areas can be set up for
the same architecture or other client architectures for organizational or performance reasons.
A RIS area contains one or more software products. Each product includes software subsets that can be installed on authorized RIS clients
over a local area network. Once software products are installed into a RIS area, RIS clients registered for that RIS area can use the setld
utility over the network to install software from their RIS area.
You must use the ris utility interactively to set up a RIS area. After you set up a RIS area on the RIS server, you can use the -a, -l, -m,
-r, and -s command line operands to manage RIS clients and display information.
The ris utility uses the /usr/var/adm/ris/clients/risdb database file to manage multiple clients.
RESTRICTIONS
Tru64 UNIX RIS servers cannot install the base operating system on RIS clients that do not support the BOOTP Internet Boot Protocol.
EXAMPLES
Invoke the ris utility with no arguments to start an interactive session: # /usr/sbin/ris
*** RIS Utility Main Menu ***
Choices without key letters are not available.
a) ADD a client
d) DELETE software products
i) INSTALL software products
l) LIST registered clients
m) MODIFY a client
r) REMOVE a client
s) SHOW software products in remote installation environments
x) EXIT
Enter your choice:
You must use an interactive session to install or delete software products. After a RIS area is set up on the RIS server, you can use the
-a, -l, -m, -r, and -s command line operands to manage RIS clients and display information.
The following examples show how to use command line arguments to manage a client named stlouis. These examples assume that /usr/sbin is in
your path. Backslashes () indicate line continuation and are not part of the command syntax.
Adding a RIS Client
Use the following syntax to add a RIS client:
ris -a client -h addr -p path,prod[,prod][,prod]...
Add RIS client stlouis and allow that client to install a product over the network: # ris -a stlouis -h xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx -p
ris0.alpha,product_1
Modifying a RIS Client
Use the following syntax to modify a RIS client:
ris -m client [-h addr] [-ppath,prod[,prod][,prod]...]
Modify RIS client stlouis and allow it to install an additional product over the network: # ris -m stlouis -p ris0.alpha,product_2
Removing a RIS Client
Use the following syntax to remove a RIS client:
ris -r client
Remove RIS client stlouis: # ris -r stlouis
FILES
Base directory for remote installation areas Directory for database Remote installation information database Directory containing configu-
ration description files (CDF) used for installation cloning.
SEE ALSO
Commands: setld(8), bootpd(8)
Sharing Software on a Local Area Network
Installation Guide
Installation Guide -- Advanced Topics
ris(8)