In this topic:
In this section:
SmartOS is a live-image distribution of Illumos, KVM and extras. It is not intended to be installed in the traditional sense, but rather the running system is contained entirely within memory, although data can be stored persistently on disk. (For details on why we did it this way, watch the video).
The ISO is a bootable CD image containing GRUB & its configuration, the Illumos kernel, and the SmartOS boot archive. Because of the nature of the live image model, this boot archive and kernel pair can be copied to any medium and loaded on boot by any multiboot bootloader (which in practice implies GRUB.) This makes it easy to transform the livecd into a liveusb, netboot image, or even to copy /platform to your Linux system, add an entry to GRUB's menu.lst, and dual boot without needing to repartition.
Download here.
The default single user mode root password for a given release can always be found in
System Requirements
As SmartOS is a modern operating system and runs as a live image, it requires a minimum of 1GB of RAM (we suggest 2GB+), and is 64-bit x86 only.
In order to take advantage of the KVM features it requires an Intel CPU with VT-x extensions. Nehelem, Westmere or Sandy Bridge microarchitecture.
SmartOS will run in a virtual machine, but, due to a lack of nested virtualization, KVM will not be fully functional.
Creating a Persistent zpool
By the nature of the design, everything on SmartOS is transient. That is, it does not persist across reboots and any changes made on the running system are destroyed as soon as the system is no longer running. Typically, a user does not actually want to make changes to the running operating system or filesystem hierarchy, but rather wishes to make his/her data persistent.
SmartOS, being based on the advanced Illumos operating system, utilizes ZFS for data management. All the features of ZFS are beyond the scope of this document, see http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E19253-01/819-5461/index.html for more details.
For this reason, a dataset setup script has been included, and will run automatically at boot. If you've copied the platform in order to boot via an alternate mechanism, the kernel command line option 'smartos=true' will enable this behavior. Should you wish to run SmartOS without this feature, add the 'noimport=true' option.
Note that this is not an installer, and does not install the live image. It is simply for data setup. You will still need to boot off live media.
Further Reading
How to create a zone & How to create a Virtual Machine in SmartOS give more details about vmadm create.
For more information about using a SmartMachine check out the SmartMachine Wiki Home.
Those versed in JavaScript can learn a lot more by reading vmadm.js source.
Discussion List
The smartos-discuss list is a forum for useful questions and answers - see the searchable archives here; sign up here.
10 Comments
comments.show.hideOct 09, 2011
Giacomo Stelluti Scala
SmartOS is designed mainly for not being installed on the server. As this operating system is a based on open source fork of Solaris, I'd like to know the best way to configure the server hard drive(s). What logic a system administrator should embrace for design partitions layout? I guess that it's best suited to operate with ZFS.
I apologize if this is not the right place to ask this question, if so can someone suggest me how to search detailed informations, please?
Regards,
Giacomo
Oct 09, 2011
John Sonnenschein
It's best suited to be used with ZFS full-disk pools. The setup script assumes this is the case.
Oct 09, 2011
Giacomo Stelluti Scala
Hi, thank you a lot for the information.
With setup script you're talking about the commands executed during boot process?
Another thing, I've some sysadmin experience with Debian based distros, can you suggest me a good web resource about ZFS or a book?
Every good reference about Open Solaris can help me use SmartOS?
Thanks a lot,
Giacomo
Oct 09, 2011
Deirdré Straughan
Please note that another place to get answers is the new smartos-discuss mailing list.
Oct 09, 2011
Deirdré Straughan
Here are some resources about ZFS. There is also material on http://www.opensolaris.org/ (down this weekend, we hope back tomorrow).
Oct 10, 2011
Giacomo Stelluti Scala
Thanks all for the support. I've also found a lot of material about ZFS and I'm going deep in the argument. (I'm also subscribed in the mailing list.)
In this article in the chapter Creating a persistent zpool they talk about: ... For this reason, a dataset setup script has been included, and will run automatically at boot. ...
I'll find very useful to know how to setup the whole disk zpool in a way that SmartOS con remount it at startup (if server resets) and in a way that allow me to start creating vm and configuring kvm...
A reply or link about specific SmartOS documentation about it, will be REALLY appreciated!!!
Thank you, regards,
Giacomo
Oct 12, 2011
Arne Dietrich
First of all, thanks for making all of this available! I have a question about all those data-sets: Besides the JSON file, do you have some kind of overview about the available data-sets? What's the difference between the smartos and smartosplus images?I feel a bit like a kid in a candy store here.
Thanks!
-Arne
Jan 13, 2012
Blake Irvin
There's still a lot of references here to 'create-machine' which should actually be 'vmadm', I think.
Feb 17, 2012
Nigel Magnay
When adding machines via either vmadm or directly, I get the following error:
Have I missed something?
Feb 17, 2012
Deirdré Straughan
You'll probably get a faster response in the mailing list.