Oracle

Systems Architecture Committee

Subject: 

OpenSolaris Text Installer

Submitted by: 

Susan Sohn

File: 

PSARC/2010/165/opinion.html

Date: 

06/30/2010

Committee: 

John Fischer, Mark Carlson, Michael Kearney, Mark Martin, Margot Miller, Darren Moffat, Sebastien Roy.

Product Approval Committee: 

[${SCname} Put the PAC email address here.]

1. Summary

The Text Installer is a mouseless, screen-oriented installer designed for use on SPARC and x86 systems that may not have graphics support such as many server-class machines.

2. Decision & Precedence Information

The project is approved as specified in reference [1].

The project may be delivered in a minor release of the ON Consolidation.

3. Interfaces

The project exports the following interfaces.

Interfaces Exported

Interface

Classification

Comments

/usr/lib/text-install

Uncommitted

CLI

system/install/text-install

Committed

IPS package name

${root}/lib/python2.6/vendor-packages/osol_install/tgt.so

Consolidation Private

Python to C bridge to Target Instantiation and Target Discovery

${root}/lib/python2.6/vendor-packages/osol_install/libzoneinfo.so

Consolidation Private

Python to C bridge to /usr/lib/libzoneinfo.so

system/install-setup:default

Uncommitted

SMF Install service



The project imports the following interfaces.

Interfaces Imported

Interface

Classification

Comments

libzoneinfo.so.1

Contracted Private

LSARC/2001/015

Python2.6

Uncommitted

PSARC/2009/043

libdiskmgt.so.1

Consolidation Private

LSARC/2004/743

Distribution Constructor

Committed

PSARC/2009/471

libncurses.so

Contracted Volatile

LSARC/2008/524

menu.lst (grub)

Committed

PSARC/2004/454



4. Opinion

This project had a successful inception review which did not have any major concerns that could not be corrected by specification updates. Thus the case was approved by updating those specifications and taking an email vote. The issues listed below reflect the substantial inception review issues.

4.1 Static IP and IPv6 Networking

The inception UI specifications discussed the longer term UI for setting up the various NICs. The project team stated that the current review was based upon allowing networking to be setup via NWAM or not established. Static and IPv6 configurations will be reviewed in a future fast track and be based upon the “interfaces for basic install network configuration” case (PSARC/2010/164). There will be documentation in the commitment materials explaining that the Static IP and IPv6 Network section of the UI specification are not covered by this case (reference [2]). The committee was fine with the OpenSolaris Text Installer not being dependent upon that case and following up with a fast track.

4.2 text-install Command Installation Location

As specified the project installs text-installer into /usr/bin. When questioned about the usage of the command the project team stated that there are a few edge use cases where the end user might execute the command from a command line. The majority of uses would simply be to insert a disc and the text-installer automatically starts on boot. The committee stated that perhaps a better installation location might be /usr/lib. The project team has decided to install the text-installer into the /usr/lib directory. The committee was fine with the resolution of this issue.

4.3 Root and User Passwords Not Required

The committee noted that the root and user passwords are not required at install time. The project team stated that they were following current Best Practices with regards to installation technologies. The installation user is warned that the system will be installed in an unsafe manner. The committee was fine with the issue.

4.4 User Installed as Primary Administrator

The initial user installed by the Caiman installers have been given the Primary Administrator Rights Profile. The committee pointed out that this Rights Profile is going away according to the “User, RBAC and Labeled Networking Administration” case (PSARC/2009/652). Furthermore, the issue was discussed in the Solaris Modernization case (PSARC/2010/067). In that case the project team agreed to modify the installers to:

  1. remove the root password prompt

  2. require an initial user login name and password

  3. set the root password to the initial user password

  4. make the root account a role

  5. the initial user is granted the root role (type=normal;roles=root)

  6. the initial user is put in /etc/sudoers -- presumable with all commands

  7. the initial use is no longer granted the Primary Administrator Rights Profile

  8. the password hash algorithm is sha256

  9. the root account password is installed as expired (passwd -f).
    sp_lstchg == 0
    username:password:lastchg:min:max:warn:inactive:expire:flag
    sp_namp:sp_pwdp:sp_lstchg:sp_min:sp_max:sp_inact:ex_expire:sp_flag

The specification for this case will be modified to reflect this requirement and deposited in the case directory as commitment materials (Appendix C - [1]). The committee was fine with the issue.

5. Minority Opinion(s)

None

6. Advisory Information

None

7. Appendices

7.1 Appendix A: Technical Changes Required

    None

7.2 Appendix B: Technical Changes Advised

    None

7.3 Appendix C: Reference Material

Unless otherwise stated, path names are relative to the case directory (PSARC/2010/165).

  1. commitment.materials/PSARC-Questionnaire.txt

    Standard PSARC Questionnaire

  2. commitment.materials/ARC-CoverPage.html

    ARC cover page describing the case and documents included for review

  3. commitment.materials/designdocv2.0.9.odt

    Text Installer Design Document Open Document Text format

  4. commitment.materials/designdocv2.0.9.pdf

    Text Installer Design Document Portable Document Format

  5. commitment.materials/spec10-21.html

    Solaris Caiman Text-based Installer UI Specification non-graphical format