Introduction to IPS Demo (10 Minutes)

Description

This demo introduces the Image Packaging System and shows it's integration with ZFS.

OpenSolaris Versions Supported

2008.05 or newer.

Points to Hit

• IPS lets you easily install packages from remote repositories.
• When an installation of a package fails, you can rollback to the snapshot that is created automatically.
• IPS is also integrated with boot environments, so in case of failure you can boot into previous BE.
• Multiple repositories are currently available and community repository is on the way, too.

Demo Prep

• This demo requires Internet access.
• If you have other repositories than the default, do this in the OpenSolaris virtual machine.

Gotchas

None known.

Demo

Default Repository

• Try running mc for Midnight Commander. The command shouldn't be found. We'll try to install this application (it's a popular file manager).
• Let's search for mc. Run pfexec pkg search -r mc.
• You'll get a list of packages with fully qualified names. To install the right one for your OpenSolaris version one run pfexec pkg install SUNWgnu-mc.
• If you have time, wait for the install phase of the package and press ctrl+c to interrupt the installation. You'll see a message about the boot environment failing to be updated:

  PHASE                                        ACTIONS
  Install Phase                                271/271
  Reading Existing Index                           1/9^CThe Boot Environment opensolaris failed to be updated. A snapshot was taken before the failed attempt and is mounted here /tmp/tmpzvfzNB. Use 'beadm unmount opensolaris-1' and then 'beadm activate opensolaris-1' if you wish to boot to this BE.
  

• Show beadm list to show that a boot environment has been created, too. You can safely boot into this boot environment if you want to boot into the state before installing the package.
• Let's install the package again - run pfexec pkg install SUNgnu-mc.
• Run pkg info SUNgnu-mc.
• Run pkg contents SUNgnu-mc.
• Run mc to start Midnight Commander
•  

Additional Repository

There are many different repositories you can use. One of the popular ones is Sun Freeware.

• Add it by running pfexec pkg set-authority -O http://pkg.sunfreeware.com:9000 sunfreeware.
• You can also browse the repository using Firefox (open http://pkg.sunfreeware.com:9000).
• Search for lynx (a command-line based web browser) and install it using command line or GUI. Verify that the package was installed by running /opt/sfw/bin/lynx.
• Run the Package Manager and walk through the GUI. Explain differences between command line pkg and Package Manager.

Demo Cleanup

Uninstall packages SUNWgnu-mc and IPSFWlynx. Remove the sunfreeware repository.

• pfexec pkg uninstall SUNWgnu-mc
• pfexec pkg unset-authority sunfreeware