bootparams(4)
NAME
bootparams - boot parameter data base
SYNOPSIS
/etc/bootparams
DESCRIPTION
The bootparams file contains a list of client entries that
diskless clients use for booting. Diskless booting clients
retrieve this information by issuing requests to a server
running the rpc.bootparamd(1M) program. The bootparams file
may be used in conjunction with or in place of other sources
for the bootparams information. See nsswitch.conf(4).
For each client the file contains an entry with the client's
name and a list of boot parameter values for that client.
Each entry has the form:
clientname keyword=value...
The first item of each entry is the host name of the disk-
less client. You can use the asterisk ('*') character as a
"wildcard" in place of the client name in a single entry. A
wildcard entry applies to all clients for which there is not
an entry that specifically names them.
In a given entry, the host name or asterisk is followed by
one or more whitespace characters and a series of keyword-
value pairs separated by whitespace characters. There must
not be any whitespace within a keyword-value pair.
Each keyword-value pair has the syntax:
keyword=value
The preceding form breaks out further as:
keyword=server:value
Where server can be null and value can be a pathname.
An example that includes a server is:
client1 root=server1:/export/client1/root
An example where server is null is:
client1 rootopts=:vers2
A minor variation of the keyword=value syntax is used for
the domain keyword. Unlike the forms shown above, this syn-
tax does not use a colon. For example:
client1 domain=bldg1.workco.com
Entries can span multiple lines. Use the backslash ('\')
character as the last character of a line to continue the
entry to the following line. For multiple-line entries, you
can split a line only in places where whitespace is allowed.
For example, you can use a backslash to split the following
entry between the end of the path (root) and the keyword
domain:
client1 root=server1:/export/client1/root domain=bldg1.workco.com
In entries that specify a server, server is the name of the
server that will provide the file or filesystem to the disk-
less client and value is the pathname of the exported file
or filesystem on that server.
In entries that use the domain keyword, the domain name
specified must be the client's domain name. The algorithm
for determining a client's domain name is to first check for
a domain keyword in the client-specific entry and then in
"wildcard" entry. If none is found, the server's domain
name is used.
For the JumpStart installation of machines that do not have
video displays, use the term keyword to identify the termi-
nal type of the boot server. Terminal types are listed in
/usr/share/lib/terminfo (see terminfo(4)).
An entry with the ns keyword associates a server (a name
server) with, instead of a pathname, a specific name service
(NIS+, NIS, or none) and, if that server is not on a local
subnet, the netmask needed to reach it. For example:
ns=hoot:nisplus(255.255.255.0)
An ns entry forces sysidtool(1M) to use the specified name
service. By default, sysidtool uses NIS+ in preference to
NIS if it can find an NIS+ server for the system's domain on
the subnet. An ns entry might be necessary if you are trying
to set up a hands-off installation, or if the name server is
on a different subnet, which is common with NIS+.
If an ns keyword is not used, sysidtool uses broadcast to
attempt to bind to either a NIS+ or NIS server. If a name
server is not on the local subnet, which is possible for
NIS+, the bind will fail, automatic configuration of the
name service will fail, and an interactive screen is
displayed, prompting the user to specify the name service.
The ns keyword can be set in add_install_client or by Host
Manager.
EXAMPLES
Example 1: Sample bootparams Entry
Here is an example of an entry in the bootparams file:
client1 root=server1:/export/client1/root rootopts=:vers=2 \
domain=bldg1.workco.com
client2 root=server2:/export/client2/root ns=:nis
client3 root=server2:/export/client3/root ns=watson:
client4 root=server2:/export/client4/root \
ns=mach:nisplus(255.255.255.0)
Example 2: Sample Entry for JumpStart
The following is an example of an entry that might be used
for the JumpStart installation of diskless clients that do
not have displays.
mozart root=haydn:/export/install/sparc/os/latest/Solaris_9/boot \
install=haydn:/export/install/sparc/os/8.1/latest boottype=:in \
install_config=haydn:/usr/local/share/lib/jump-net \
ns=otis:nisplus(255.255.255.0) term=:xterms domain=eu.cte.work.com
FILES
/etc/bootparams
SEE ALSO
rpc.bootparamd(1M), sysidtool(1M), nsswitch.conf(4)
NOTES
Solaris diskless clients use the keywords root and rootopts
to look up the pathname for the root filesystem and the
mount options for the root filesystem, respectively. These
are the only keywords meaningful for diskless booting
clients. See mount_ufs(1M).
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