Fast Track to Solaris 10 Adoption: 64-bit Performance
Compatibility Issues
Please click on a question below or download a pdf version.
- Are there features in the recent versions of Sun Studio to support 64-bit porting?
- If we run the Solaris 10 OS on non-Sun servers, will the drivers for third-party hardware such as NIC and video be available through Sun, or is Sun developing partnerships with other hardware vendors?
- I read about running Linux binary (x86) on the Solaris 10 OS (SPARC). Is there provision to run SPARC binaries in the Solaris OS x86 environment? This would help migrating older applications to faster AMD-based Sun hardware.
- Last time I tried the Solaris OS, I had a problem with my LAN card. Will the Solaris 10 OS be more plug-and-play, like what we see in Linux platforms?
- Has Sun considered making SPARC-based binary and Intel-based binary compatible in the near future?
- Can I run the Solaris 10 OS on my IBM systems that use the AMD Opteron processor?
- Do you know when SAP and Oracle will support the Solaris 10 OS?
- Is the Solaris 10 OS certified for and supported on the F15K?
- What kernel version is supplied with the Solaris 10 OS, and does it support other software, from IBM for example?
- Will the Linux compatibility support running 32-bit Linux apps on the 64-bit Solaris 10 OS?
- I'm assuming that I can run 32-bit applications on the 64-bit Solaris 10 OS. Oracle has 32-bit and 64-bit versions, but many "out of the box" apps don't.
- What ERP applications (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft) have been or are in the process of being qualified with the Solaris 10 OS?
- When can I use my Sun PciII card with the Solaris 10 OS?
 |
Q: Are there features in the recent versions of Sun Studio to support 64-bit porting?
A: Both C and C++ feature lint-like warnings to indicate problem areas; lint has also been updated for AMD64-specific migration warnings. There is also documentation for migration help, including FAQ items (via the EA site).
 Back to top
Q: If we run the Solaris 10 OS on non-Sun servers, will the drivers for third-party hardware such as NIC and video be available through Sun, or is Sun developing partnerships with other hardware vendors?
A: Typically, we partner with hardware vendors for certification, and we also allow vendors to self-certify using the hardware compatibility test suite (which we provide as a free download) See: sun.com/bigadmin/hcl
Back to top
Q: I read about running Linux binary (x86) on the Solaris 10 OS (SPARC). Is there provision to run SPARC binaries in the Solaris OS x86 environment? This would help migrating older applications to faster AMD-based Sun hardware.
A: The Janus project allows you to run x86 Linux apps unmodified on the Solaris OS running on x86-based platforms, but not on SPARC-based platforms. We currently do not have any way to run existing SPARC apps on x86 platforms.
Back to top
Q: Last time I tried the Solaris OS, I had a problem with my LAN card. Will the Solaris 10 OS be more plug-and-play, like what we see in Linux platforms?
A: Device support is vastly improved with the Solaris 10 OS; please reference the BigAdmin Services HCL list.
Back to top
Q: Has Sun considered making SPARC-based binary and Intel-based binary compatible in the near future?
A: Yes, we have looked into this. The most portable approach is to use Java technology, which allows for apps to be run on any platform.
Back to top
Q: Can I run the Solaris 10 OS on my IBM systems that use the AMD Opteron processor?
A: Yes, the Solaris 10 OS supports a wide range of third-party hardware, including IBM. See sun.com/bigadmin/hc for a list of supported platforms.
Back to top
Q: Do you know when SAP and Oracle will support the Solaris 10 OS?
A: We expect both Oracle and SAP to support the Solaris 10 OS when it releases.
Back to top
Q: Is the Solaris 10 OS certified for and supported on the F15K?
A: Yes.
Back to top
Q: What kernel version is supplied with the Solaris 10 OS, and does it support other software, from IBM for example?
A: The kernel version is SunOS 5.10. That's the Solaris OS kernel. We're working on IBM software commitments.
Back to top
Q: Will the Linux compatibility support running 32-bit Linux apps on the 64-bit Solaris 10 OS?
A: Yes. We will support 32-bit Linux apps on the 64-bit Solaris OS kernel.
Back to top
Q: I'm assuming that I can run 32-bit applications on the 64-bit Solaris 10 OS. Oracle has 32-bit and 64-bit versions, but many "out of the box" apps don't.
A: As with the Solaris OS on SPARC platforms, on AMD64 platforms you'll be able to run your existing 32-bit apps unmodified, side-by-side, with new 64-bit apps.
Back to top
Q: What ERP applications (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft) have been or are in the process of being qualified with the Solaris 10 OS?
A: SAP is qualified, PeopleSoft is not.
Back to top
Q: When can I use my Sun PciII card with the Solaris 10 OS?
A: You will be able to view the Solaris 10 OS HCL in January, which will list the cards that are supported. View the HCL in progress via the Software Express program at sun.com/bigdmin/hcl
| 
