Solaris

Hello,

I need to install a Jboss AS 4.2 asap. But I dont want to use the GUI. I need to install a solaris 10 server with the minimal packages but I dont know how deep I should customize and select the packages.

You guys , how you decide to select a package installation level ? Each server's needs are different, so each time you need a server, do you start from scratch ? Or every Solaris guru has some secret notes for each type of server ?

Is there a simple way to do that ? I will appreciate so much if you give me some advises.

Regards.
Mehmet

Install everything (or one of the predefined clusters you know that will suit your needs), disable anything you don't use and remove anything you don't use and never will.
Don't go the other way around, that's workable but SVR4 packaging system isn't designed to help you doing it.
(I'm assuming you haven't a bunch of server to install and so you don't use jumpstart.)

With OpenSolaris, and especially with OpenSolaris dpkg zones, you go the other way. Starting with a minimal set of packages and installing the ones you need.

Thanks for your reply.

It's very hard and tricky to build a server without GUI which is working in every situation.
However some applications needs GUI but every guide that I read is suggesting to work without GUI due some reasons (security, unused open ports, traditional UNIX usage etc.)

I would like to hear your opinions about this.

Best regards.

Please provide some examples. I don't see a strong relationship between a GUI, installing a server or running an application.
Properly packaged applications will state their dependency requirements.
A required GUI might be used remotely.

My first problem is ;

- I can't install Java VM without X window in Core Install level. It's asking me a lot of X11, X window packages to install. Is it defined at somewhere how to install Java VM ? Jboss AS 4.2 needs Java VM.

I found this link and trying now.
SUMMARY: Dependency difficulties with SUNWCreq install on Solaris 10

My second problem is more generic and I face this one frequently.

- As I wrote in my last email, I dont want to use the X Window GUI neither want to install it. This approach is correct ? Or UNIX admins are always installing X Win inevitable but are only using the text console ?

If we dont need it, so somebody should already defined the way to do that.

Thanks again for your reply.

This requirement is about java needing the X11 libraries to handle graphics on Unix. It has nothing to do with the administrator using or not a GUI.
Each package knows its requirements.
Obviously. Application servers are build on top of java.
X Window is not exactly a GUI, more a network protocol and the libraries and server that go with it. CDE, Gnome, and X11 based applications are GUIs.
It's up to you. Installing the GUI (CDE/Gnome) isn't a requirement for installing most applications. Enabling it is very unlikely to ever be a requirement.
Unix admins are using the tools that best suit their needs. That might be the console or web browsers or graphic applications or whatever. I don't get you point about GUIs. If an admin is using multiple text consoles on his desktop, he is definitely taking advantage of a GUI. Of course, security aware admins avoid to run a desktop environment as root if that is what you are concerned with.

I can't post the contents of the corporate build I maintain, but it is based on SUNWCreq + a few other convenience packages (shells, compression, encryption). It does not have an Xserver installed. Some applications may need some font or Xwindow libraries,like WebSphere or Oracle, and that's basically to allow the admins to import an xterm.