FAQ

What is new with May 5, 2008 release of the OpenSolaris (TM) OS?

The free and easy to use OpenSolaris OS is a leading-edge open source release with world-class support and unique, innovative features that let you be brilliant faster.

What is being announced today?

We are announcing the immediate availability of the OpenSolaris 2008.05 OS release from Sun and the OpenSolaris community. This release is fully re-distributable and available from opensolaris.com and other popular open source distribution sites.

What are the new features of the OpenSolaris 2008.05 release?

The OpenSolaris Operating System contains many new features thatare not available with the current Solaris 10 update but, per the OpenSolaris and Solaris release model, may be included in subsequent Solaris 10 updates and milestone releases. Most notably, the addition of an easy-to-use graphical installation experience, ZFS as the default root file system, a network-based image package management system (IPS) with access to a full suite of software, the ability to more easily update between releases of the operating system, and a more familiar environment for those used to Linux based operating environments.

Is there anything different with the user experience of OpenSolaris in this release?

This release uses many GNU utilities, such as the 'bash' interactive shell, as the default choice, which should provide a more familiar user experience for those used to a Linux or other GNU-based environment.

What kind of support is available for the OpenSolaris 2008.05 release?

This announcement includes 2 new support subscriptions–OpenSolaris Production and OpenSolaris Essentials. Both subscriptions provide ongoing support for the OpenSolaris OS, via either individual package updates, or upgrade to a more current update. Essentials is with a 48 hour email response. It provides an opportunity to report bugs and benefit from updates when fixes are available. Production comes with a 24/7 phone support. As with Essentials it provides an opportunity to report bugs, benefit from updates, but also provides access to premium network repositories and includes full engineering escalation support.

We're also adding OpenSolaris 2008.05 as a supported offering to two for our existing Support Programs. The Sun Developer Expert Assistance program has now been expanded to include OpenSolaris support for developers who want code level assistance during the development of their packages and applications. And the Sun Spectrum hardware and software subscription offering for customers deploying OpenSolaris 2008.05 on Sun hardware will now also be able to select OpenSolaris as a supported operating system on certain classes of hardware.

What kind of internationalization and localization is provided with this release of OpenSolaris?

Internationalization and localization will be provided similar to existing Sun support options.

When will the next OpenSolaris release come out?

The OpenSolaris OS operates on a 6 month release cycle. In between releases there will be software updates as new bug fixes, security alerts, or hardware support become available.

When can I expect to see a new release of Solaris?

The latest update of Solaris was just released on April 15, 2008, Solaris 10 5/08. For more details on this release go to sun.com/solaris. Currently there has been no timetable set for the next major release of the Solaris Operating System, however any future release will be based on one of the 6 month releases of the OpenSolaris OS.

I'm a student, why is OpenSolaris relevant for me?

OpenSolaris allows you to bring your ideas to life. This open source OS has a state-of-the-art code base that is well-structured and documented, and is backed by a global community that collaborates to fuel innovation. OpenSolaris features innovative technologies built-in for free, including virtualization and instant roll-back (via ZFS) to protect your work that enable risk-free experimentation on whatever systems students are using today. And, through the expanding OpenSolaris community, students have unfettered access to brilliant minds worldwide to collaborate, innovate and succeed as they graduate into the Network Economy. And, Solaris knowledgeable administrators are always in high demand; get started with OpenSolaris and become Solaris Certified to maximize your career choices after school!

I'm a developer, why is OpenSolaris relevant for me?

OpenSolaris allows you to take your idea from experiment to global deployment on a single platform in a familiar environment. Free, built-in features help you develop, debug and deploy new applications faster, including ZFS' instant-rollback and continual check-summing to protect your intellectual property, DTrace to optimize your applications, and easy-to-use virtualization technologies like Solaris Containers that enable you to build virtualization-aware applications without worrying whether integrating 3rd party software will work and which can be deployed on nearly 1000 systems, from single machines through multi-CPU and multi-core systems.

I'm using Linux. Why should I use OpenSolaris?

With OpenSolaris you will be able to:
- Deploy optimized / secured webstack out of the box
- Debug in realtime with DTrace
- Scale linearly on todays multi-core systems
- Manage storage with ZFS and get instant rollback
- Upgrade without breaking existing applications
- Secure your systems, applications and data

How are we expanding the OpenSolaris community?

Today we are launching a new user Web site, opensolaris.com, to enable broader participation in the OpenSolaris community with easy to download software, tools and learning materials to enable you to get up and running fast. This site is also the starting place for new users to get their OpenSolaris questions answered.

How does opensolaris.com relate to the other OpenSolaris and Sun developer sites like SDN or BigAdmin?

OpenSolaris.com is a starting place for users to learn about OpenSolaris and make it easier to access the new community package repository, download the software and learn more about what's happening in the OpenSolaris community. Go to opensolaris.com.

Where can I install software that isn't in the LiveCD install image?

Additional software is available on http://pkg.opensolaris.org and http://pkg.sun.com, and can be installed through the package manager utility, pkg(1).

Can you tell me more about this NEW Image Packaging System within OpenSolaris?

The Image Packaging System (IPS) infrastructure allows the user to be able to download and install additional software and updates, from network package repositories around the world.

The introduction of the Image Packaging System (IPS) changes the way Sun delivers software to the customer. Rather than having to combine all software into several CDs or DVDs, a single CD image can be provided allowing the user to download additional software that is critical to their needs from network package repositories. This cuts down the size of the image, and allows a faster distribution model. The user will automatically be notified should updates (bug fixes, security alerts, or hardware support) become available; they can then install these updates over the network, with any additional required software or updates automatically determined and downloaded as well . See more information about IPS on opensolaris.com

What kind of third-party software supports this release?

The OpenSolaris 2008.05 provides many third-party applications (mostly free and open source software), either as part of the default installation, or available on the network package repository. A full list of software can be viewed at http://pkg.opensolaris.org

I cannot find my favorite software in the default install, or on the network package repository. Where is it?

It is likely that your favorite software isn't yet packaged. Contact the support forums and request it, or help contribute to the community effort to expand the package repositories by packaging it up yourself!

Can I install existing Solaris packages in the OpenSolaris OS?

Yes. pkgadd(1), and associated SVr4 packaging utilities, are provided for backwards compatibility.

I prefer using the same utilities that are in Solaris 10, as opposed to the GNU utilities. What can I do?

If you would like to make the original Solaris utilities your , remove '/usr/gnu/bin' from your PATH.

What default file system does OpenSolaris 2008.05 use ?

ZFS is the default file system; this brings the benefits of using ZFS much closer to the average user, allowing them to get the advantages of ZFS right from the start. ZFS can snapshot the file system, allowing the user to easily revert changes, for example, if a you decide your current development experiment isn't working and you would like to reset your entire system to a prior state. As another example, the user will easily be able to revert to an initial 'factory install', which may be useful in some kiosk situations.

Does the Solaris Binary Application Guarantee program apply to the OpenSolaris OS?

No. While binary compatibility is of utmost importance to Sun, we cannot at this time provide this guarantee with respect to the OpenSolaris OS.

What processor architectures does this release support?

This first release supports 32-bit and 64-bit x86 systems; SPARC system support is planned to be added later in 2008.

Is there a memory and disk recommendation for using this product?

OpenSolaris 2008.05 requires 10 GB minimum disk space. It is known to work with a minimum memory requirement of 512 MB, though this may vary on some machines.

I can't get some of my hardware working with OpenSolaris OS. Is there anything I can do?

We recommend that you first check the OpenSolaris OS hardware compatibility list (HCL) at http://sun.com/bigadmin/hcl to see if that hardware is supported. In some cases, the hardware driver may not have been installed. You can check if there are drivers available using the Device Driver Utility.

The download for the LiveCD install image is too slow in my location. What can I do?

If there is a download mirror in your location, you may want to use that. The LiveCD install image is fully re-distributable, so if you know of a local mirror who may want to host it we would encourage you to contact them. Otherwise, you can request on the opensolaris.com Web site that a free CD be sent to you.