Ok,

I am trying to install solaris, but I would like as a lean installation as possible (while still having a shread of functionality).

If I chose the minimal install I have little if no utilities to do work on the box.

My question is what installation method do most admins take?

Minimal install and then add other needed things to be installed from the disk before finishing install?

What do you mean by "utilities"? You mean GUIs? Commands?

The SUNWCreq cluster gives full multi-user, network functionality to the box. After that, you need to decide what you want installed depending on your usage.
Here are some clusters and packages that do not install with SUNWCreq that I find essential in my particular situation:

SUNWCssh
SUNWCopenssl
SUNWCperl
SUNWCzone
SUNWCpool
SUNWCifp
SUNWCntp
SUNWChea
SUNWCdca
SUNWCcry
SUNWdoc
SUNWman
SUNWinst

Well I mean commands.

Bash is not installed (not the end of the world, but I prefer it for my shell).

But darn near every other command/tool I would normally use is absent.

I finally got some things installed from sun freeware so that is a start.

Just trying to figure out what is the best set of options to pick during installation.

thanks

Which commands and tools you are referring to?

You should change the title of your thread, and instead of asking for a lean installation, ask how to get these commands and tools you are referring to.

I am trying to figure out what process some folks are using when they install to have the functionality they desire (commands, security, etc..).

I am looking for a lean install but with at least some of the basic commands installed( ssh, scp, ipf, fetch...etc...).

So what software group do you choose (reduced network, core, end user, developer etc...) and then do you install extra packages during the install process or do it all post install?

If you do your package install post os install do you re-mount the cd and install from there or download from other places then install?

Sorry if I am not making sense I don't really know how else to ask this question.

Maybe can take a leaf from NSA System configuration Guides http://www.nsa.gov/snac/downloads_all.cfm lots of very excellent information on hardening different types of OS's application, email & databases.

hey thanks!!!