Appendix A. Web Start

Web Start is Sun's Java-based installation program that simplifies and accelerates the installation of Solaris Software. Web Start uses technology from InstallShield, which is widely recognized as the provider of de facto install technology for Microsoft Windows applications. This tool lets network administrators use a familiar Web browser utilizing a point-and-click interface to install all the software bundled with Solaris. Through Solaris Web Start, you select and install all the software your machine requires, including the Solaris software group and Solstice utilities. In addition, Web Start is the only install utility that also installs the other software provided on the additional CDs. It's much like the Solaris interactive installation program described in Part I of the Solaris 2.6 Administrator Certification Training Guide but with a much more user-friendly interface. Solaris Web Start uses the JumpStart utility to read the configuration profile automatically, thus installing the Solaris software and the other selected products with minimal intervention.

If you're setting up a machine that includes a frame buffer, keyboard, and monitor, you can run Web Start directly from that machine. If you only have a character-based terminal connected via the serial port, you can still start up to the CD-ROM and enter the system identification information.

After the system identification is complete, you have your choice of how you want to continue the installation: You can either continue using the character-based Interactive Installation, as explained in Chapter 1, "Installing a Server," or use Web Start, with its graphical user interface, by utilizing a bit-mapped terminal connected to a system (or PC) over the network. This process is explained later in this chapter.