Q: When will Solaris 9 be released?
A:
We currently have our "Developer Early Access" available on the Solaris
website (http://www.sun.com/solaris). This is the very earliest look at the
Solaris 9 kernel, and doesn't have all the "bells and whistles" attached yet.
Q: What are the key features in Solaris 9?
A:
The features for Solaris 9 are not final yet, so I can't tell you
everything.
However, there are a lot of new features that just make existing
programs run better, like an improved threading library to improve performance and
scalability and improved memory handling to enable applications to make
use of the huge amounts of memory available on the latest machines running Solaris.
Q: Will the iPlanet products be built in to Solaris 9?
A:
The iPlanet Directory Server, Web Server, and Application Server are
already bundled, with full development licenses, in the Solaris 8 media kit, and
we anticipate continuing to bundle them with Solaris 9.
Q: Why can't I download CD images of Solaris 9 Early Access?
A:
Because the Developer Early Access program is intended for experienced Solaris
developers, we wanted to provide it in a format that would be most useful to
that audience. Since most established Solaris sites have an install server, the
net install image was felt to be the most useful.
Q: How do I start the GUI for Solaris Volume Manager, the command metatool is missing? Will admintool be replace by SMC ?
A:
The Solaris Volume Manager GUI is normally started from the Solaris Management
Console GUI. I'm not sure how to start it from the command line. I shall try to
investigate and let you know.
Q: Will Solstice DiskSuite become even more tightly integrated into Solaris 9? A: Yes. Solstice DiskSuite has become Solaris Volume Manager and is now an integral part of Solaris 9. There are also numerous improvements in Solaris Volume Manager in Solaris 9. Q: Is there any plans for Solaris 9 to include binary support for running Linux applications? A: We are continuing to develop the lxrun technology for running Linux applications in Solaris. Lxrun is planned for inclusion in Solaris 9 for the IA-32 architecture. There is no plan to enable binary support for running Linux applications on SPARC because we are not aware of any Linux SPARC applications that do not run in Solaris. Q: Will Solaris 9 ship with Apache and other 3rd party open source projects as Solaris 8 did? A: We are planning to include even more open source software in Solaris 9 than in Solaris 8. Apache (including TomCat) will certainly still be included, along with lots more. We're planning a new Solaris 9 Early Access program with a more complete set of software included; check the Solaris web page in January for more information. Q: How I access Solaris 9 Early Access documents?
A:
Follow the "Documentation" link off the navigation bar on the left side of the
Solaris 9 Early Access site at http://www.sun.com/solaris/programs/solaris9ea/ (No Longer Available)
Q: Will Solaris 9 x86 support UDMA PCI cards (for example: Promise Ultra66 Ultra100)?
A:
At this point I can't commit to specific driver support in Solaris 9 beyond what
is present in the Solaris 9 Developer Early Access.
Q: Is there any support to legacy laser printers like the newsprint20 ?
A:
That's a good question, and I don't know the full answer. My knowledge of the
NewsPrint printers and how they interact with Solaris is incomplete.
Q: Will an snmp tool (like snmpwalk) be provided for browsing snmpd? A: The main client-side tool for SNMP in Solaris 8 or Solaris 9 is the Sun Management Center 3.0. Check it out at http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/sunmanagementcenter/. Q: Will the "more general audience" version of Solaris 9 Early Access be made available for IA (x86) as well? (Please?) A: That is still the plan at this time. Q: What is reason behind the following limitations in OS? 1. File size cannot be more than 2GB. 2. Number of process =30000 Any improvements in solaris 9 regarding above two issues ? A: Actually, the file size problem was fixed in Solaris 7 (running in 64-bit mode), and the number of processes was fixed in Solaris 8 (now it's 1,000,000). Q: How do I check the list of both mounted and unmounted physical disks that are installed in a SunSolaris environment/server. I need to locate new disks that are physically attached to the server, and mount them. Any help would be appreciated !! A: In Solaris 9 you use the Solaris Volume Manager (formerly the Solstice DiskSuite software), which also allows you to set up mirroring and striping between volumes. Q: Hey Bill, Sorry, but I've got a newbie question. I have an unused hard drive that I would like to utilize as /usr. Is there an easy way to move/split/link this. A: Use the Solaris Volume Manager. Q: Will there be better tools available to move from NIS/NIS+ to LDAP? I have tried to move over to LDAP on Solaris following the docs.sun.com and Suns Blueprints, but I have to find it is not that easy. Since I never really got all my MAPS (mail aliases, auto_direct converted to LDAP). This process needs to be made easier and there needs to be a good tool to add entries to LDAP. i.e. You can add all user details in one go (username, mail aliases, etc.....) If I remember it took a long time for the conversion of NIS to NIS+ to run smoothly and for tools to become available. I think Sun can not take so long this time, since LDAP is already here and other companies are offering this already... I do not really want our LDAP server to be Active Directory!!! A: We are preparing better tools for NIS/NIS+ to LDAP migration. Some will be available in the first release of Solaris 9, others will be in the updates. Q: WIll ssh be included in Solaris 9? A: Yes, we are planning to include ssh in Solaris 9. Q: Bill, can you tell me whether the final Solaris 9 version will finally fix the keyboard problem encountered when installing the Intel version of both Solaris 8 and the Solaris 9 beta release (I just tried it) on the newer Dell laptop models? I understand that laptops aren't supported - but the people who want Solaris on their laptops are usually your most ardent fans - do they not deserve a little attention?
A:
Well, I'm not sure I'm qualified to make moral judgements (as to who is more
deserving of attention, etc.). What I can tell you is that (assuming we are
discussing the same problems) the bugs have been pointed out to our engineering
team and we shall have to see what happens.
Q: Is there going to be a beta of Solaris 9 x86? If so, when and how do I get it? A: Both the beta and early access programs include the IA-32 platform. You can get the early access software from the Solaris 9 Early Access website at http://www.sun.com/solaris/programs/solaris9ea Q: Who should adopt Solaris 9, instead of previous version (e.g. Solaris 8)?
A:
Well, that's an easy one: everybody! ;-)
Q: In one of your answers to a question you imply that Veritas Volume Manager will be part of Solaris 9. Does that mean that every copy of Solaris 9 will include it and that it we become just another part of the system? Or will you have to install and license it separately like you do now?
A:
Oops! I certainly didn't mean imply that Veritas Volume Manager would be part of
Solaris 9! If I did, I apologize, I meant something very different.
Q: What are Sun's future plans for Solstice Disksuite? Will a new version be released with Solaris 9? If so, what new features can administrators look forward to?
A:
I'm really enjoying all these questions about volume management, because it's
one of the more exciting parts of Solaris 9!
Q: Will Solaris 9 use Kerberos as a main authentication engine? I know that SEAM (SUN implementation of Kerberos) was avaiable for a long time but what about the possibility to use Kerberos not only in a few applications (like rsh, telnet, ftp and NFS) but for use in auth for LDAP client. In other words, will other parts of Solaris 9 be rewritten useng GSS API? A: Yes, we are working toward the goal of having Kerberos authentication throughout Solaris. I can't commit to it being available in the first release of Solaris 9, however; parts may come in update releases. Q: I hold MCSE and I am planning to go in the for training and The Certification of System Administration in Solaris 8. I don`t have any solid idea in the Solaris, but I am just going through the Foundamentals. Do you think I should go ahead for the trainning on Solaris 8, or I should wait for the Solaris 9? A: Although this is not strictly on topic, I would advise you to go ahead and take the training for Solaris 8. Solaris 8 will continue to be sold for several more years, and there are a lot of machines out there that are now and will continue to run Solaris 8. Furthermore, the differences between Solaris 8 and Solaris 9 will be easily understood once you understand Solaris 8. Q: With Solaris 8 slowly gaining market share, albeit a better version than 7, why should solaris 9 be released so early?
A:
Actually, Solaris 8's rise in market share doesn't really appear to be slow. The
majority of machines we are shipping now are running Solaris 8, and all of the
1.3 million downloads we have had over the last two years have been Solaris 8.
Q: Where can I get the .iso's for Solaris 9. I find it very easy to work with these, as most of my testing is done away from the network I download things. P.S. Nice picture.
A:
Thanks, Brian. Some folks find it hard to believe that Sun would continue to
employ someone so unattractive, but it's a continuing testament to the company's
policies on non-discrimination... ;-)
Q: Will there be a free compiler with solaris 9? A: Our plan is to do the same thing we do now: include the Gnu compilers (for compatibility & low-performance apps) and include a "try-n-buy" of the Forte toolset (for performance use). Q: Does Sun plan to use RPM package management system instead of Sun's pkg package management tool? A: It is something we have been considering, but there are no plans to move away from the pkgadd/pkgrm tools for the time being. Q: What version of SSH will be integrated into Solaris 9? A: We are planning to ship SSH V2 in Solaris 9. Q: Will the Jumpstart Flash Image Installation feature in Solaris 9 support, clone and restore Solaris Volume Manager Metadevices with soft partitions?
A:
After some discussion with the folks in the Solaris Volume Manager team, I think
the answer to your question is that Jumpstart won't do anything to your
metadevices or soft partitions. They should be exactly the same with the new
version of Solaris as they were with the previous version (before you flashed
the new image).
Q: With an even greater increase of available video boards and a increase in video memory, will the Solaris 9 have a greater varierty of video drivers that will be offered.
A:
There are new drivers becoming available all the time; additionally, we have the
ability to use XFree86 drivers for Solaris on Intel.
Q: I have a note book with an ATI Rage Mobility card. Please tell me how I can get the UGI with a correct screen definition. Is there a site where I can download the drivers? A: Check out http://soldc.sun.com/support/drivers/hcl/index.html for the list of currently available drivers and http://soldc.sun.com/developer/support/driver/tools/video/video-index.html for tools that will let you use XFree86 drivers. Q: Will there be support for NVIDIA Geforce cards in the future in Solaris 9? A: A: Check out http://soldc.sun.com/support/drivers/hcl/index.html for the list of currently available drivers and http://soldc.sun.com/developer/support/driver/tools/video/video-index.html for tools that will let you use XFree86 drivers. Q: Will Solaris 9 include any new items relating to jumpstart or the Flash archives?
A:
The answer is "yes," but I'm not quite ready to talk about it yet.
Q: What legacy hardware will be supported by Solaris 9 (i.e. SS10, SS20, LX, etc)? A: Solaris 9 will support the same platforms as Solaris 8, with the exception of the machines listed in the Solaris 9 "Release Notes" on docs.sun.com. Solaris 9 documentation on docs.sun.com is password-protected. To view the Solaris 9 documentation, simply go to the Solaris 9 Early Access page at http://www.sun.com/solaris/programs/solaris9ea/ (No Longer Available) and click on the "documentation" button in the navigation bar on the left side of the page. This will take you to a "terms and conditions" page; when you agree to the terms and conditions, you will get the username and password for the Solaris 9 docs. Q: Any plans to allow Solaris to be locked down during installation? By this I mean, services in inetd.conf off by default, unneeded services shut off by default( lp, rpc, sendmail, powerd, SNMP stuff, etc.). A: We're working on such an installation option, hoping to get it into one of the early updates of Solaris 9. Q: Will Solaris 9 include /dev/random, /dev/urandom and friends? These missing bits are hindering the ability of encryption software to gather entropy on Solaris currently. A: Yes, Solaris 9 has /dev/random. Q: What features will the the Solaris Volume Manager provide over Disksuite 4.2.1? Will SVM get away from slice based disk allocation? Any extra recovery, monitoring or maintenance goodies? I work for BellSouth, and we make extensive use of SDS. Curious to see where it's headed :) A: No, SVM will still use the slice scheme, because it offers so much versatility and flexibility. Note that we introduced the "soft partitioning" capability into SDS in Solaris 9 update 6, which provides even more flexibility. The main new features for Solaris Volume Manager in Solaris 9 is the ability to update a mirrored root (without breaking the mirror) and integration into the Solaris Management Console. Eventually, Solaris Management Console and Sun Management Center will merge, providing a single view into all aspects of system management, including recovery, monitoring, and maintenance for all system functions. Q: If the fabled 64-bit Intel x86 chip is released, will Solaris 9 include the already-written drivers, etc. to make it a 64-bit platform on Intel?
A:
I honestly don't know of a fabled 64-bit x86 chip from Intel. We looked at their
64-bit Itanium chip (formerly code-named "Merced," and most assuredly bearing no
relationship to the x86 line) and, after doing an initial port of Solaris,
decided not to productize it due to low anticipated market demand (a decision
that seems even wiser in hindsight, given the resounding lack of success for
that processor).
Q: Will Solaris 9 officially finalize the USB API, thus clearing the way to have the official API published? A: This is something we are working on, but I can't say for certain that it will be finished and ready to be published by the time Solaris 9 first comes out. Q: I think the biggest question for Solaris x86 users will any of the iPlanet products be ported over to x86 version? Sun has reluntantly left x86 users with only apache as there only choice of web servers to implement which is even a sadder note at this point. A: I can only assure you that concerns like yours are being considered; I can't commit to a resolution right now. Q: We're setting up a Solaris machine. In the setup, we select NO when asked to select DHCP, however we want to access the Internet from the box. When we get to the point where the system asks for Host Window displays, we enter the host name. Then we enter the IP address. Somewhere in there we are supposed to specify the gateway, but we're not getting prompted. Do we do that after setting up the Netmask? How? There aren't any prompts.
A:
Well, the default behavior has (or is supposed to have) changed. While you were
never prompted for a gateway address in Solaris 8 (it always searched), in
Solaris 9 you should be prompted for one (if it cannot be found from its' search).
Q: I'm running SMC-SVM on an Ultra 1 box, but after selecting Enhanced Storage it wont show any disks. Is it a known problem? A: Not as far as I know. Can you give me some more configuration details (what storage is attached, which version of Solaris were you running on it before you put on Solaris 9, how was it configured then?) and I'll see what I can find out. Q: What secondary bootprogram is used when booting from CD in Solaris_9 ? In earlier versins there was a "cdrboot" pgm but it seems to have vanished. A: OK, I have to admit, I'm stumped. I shall try to find out. Might I ask why this is of interest to you? Q: Where can I find information about OBP 4.x? A: I'm not sure, but I'd check the Solaris 9 documentation. Go to the Solaris 9 EA site at http://www.sun.com/solaris/programs/solaris9ea/ (No Longer Available) and click on "documentation" on the left side of the page. Q: Are there any significant performance or availability improvements to filesystem logging (either UFS+ or SDS trans metadevices) or should we hang onto Veritas Filesystem (VxFS)? A: We are working on a significant enhancement to the logging performance for UFS, and it should become available in one of the early updates to Solaris 9. Q: iPlanet servers are NOT currently bundled on Solaris Intel media, although your earlier reply implies they are. Are you planning to change this for Solaris 9? A: We are working with the iPlanet group to solve this problem. We hope for resolution by the time we launch Solaris 9. Q: Since you already include lxrun, and a simple baseline linux image would only be around 30megs compressed, how about including a usable base linux system that would be "plug-n-play" with the included lxrun? It's way too much hassle to have to do an actual linux install on a separate fdisk partition, etc. when sun could easily distribute a base-line image to use instead. Particularly on the DVD install media. A: This is something we have been looking at, but I can't commit to a solution yet. Q: What is the best SUN product for Internet Bandwidth Management? A: Check out Solaris Bandwidth Manager. |
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