After installing the Solaris Operating Environment, it is necessary or some times essential to install additional software packages or remove software form the system. You need to apply new patch or package which can be used for security issue, performance issue, hardware related case or any other, but one must be comfortable with basic commands for package administration.

Managing Packages: Packages can be managed by:
1)    Command line
2)    Admin Tool
3)    Solaris Product registry ( Graphical User Interface)
4)    Web Start Installer ( Graphical User Interface)

* Managing Packages Using Command-Line

Commands:-

1)    # pkginfo   : To display package information.
2)    # pkgadd    : To install packages.
3)    # pkgrm     : To remove packages.
4)    # pkgchk    : To check package status.
5)    # pkgtrans  : To translate the package from data stream format to file system                    format & vice versa.
6)    # pkgparam : To display parameter of the packages.
7)     # pksinfo | wc -l : To count the number of packages installed on the system.

Other useful Commands :
1) pkgchk  ( Checking Package Status)
Syntax: # pkgchk <Pkg Name>
Ex:   # pkgchk SUNWman
Note: It checks the package status, installed files, relative path names,relative links & binary executables.

If package has any trouble that is binary are corrupted, links are broken, path names are overwritten by some means then only error will be displayed, otherwise shell prompt appears.

1) # pkgchk -l <pkg name>
It lists information of the files used for package make.

2) # pkgchk -l -p <pkg name>
It checks packages ,relative path names.

3) # pkgchk -l -p  <command >
todetermine if the binary executable on the system disk or not.

4) # pkgrm  -s <spool_dir_path>
To remove all the packages from the spool directory.

5)  # pkgrm  -s <spool_dir_path> < pack_name>
To remove specific package from spool directory.

Note: spool means stored not installed.

PACKAGE TRANSLATION

1)   To Translate file system package to data stream package

soln)        file system format                                                   datastream format
( i.e directory Format)

Syntax:  #  pkgtrans -s <source> < destination directory>  < pkg1? <pkg2> <pkg3>

Note: Sun microsystem follows the naming convention for the package.
i.e SUNW<name>  ex: SUNWman

Click for enlarged image of pkgtrans

2)    Converting or to translate data stream package to file system package.

Syntax:   # pkgtrans <specify data stream package either full path>  <destination directory to save translated file system formatted packages>

Note: every package directory contains pkgmap and pkginfo files which delivers information of relative package and details after installation on the system.

Other Tools for Package Administration:

1)    Package administration using admintool
# admintool &

2)    Package administration using solaris product registry
It is used  to manage all Solaris Software.

Note: the main difference between the product registry and the other tools is that the product registry id designed to be compatible with more of the newer installation wizards and web start 3.0.

The solaris product Registry enables you to do the following
a. View a list of installed and registered software and some software attributes.
b. Installed additional software products.
c. Uninstall software.

Command:    # prodreg
This opens th e product registry window.
And shows the install and unistall tab for the installation/unistallation for the additional package.

3) Web Start Installer
It is a used to install or remove a software package with a Gui or text-based Installer wizard. The solaris web start program installs only those components in the software groups that are skipped when solaris operating environment was initially installed.

Listing & verifying installed packages

Software Package Files & Directories

1)    /var/sadm/install/contents      : This file contains record of all the software package installed on the local system disk.
2)    /opt/<pkgname>  : The preferred location for the installation of unbundled packages.
3)    /etc/opt/<pksname> : the preferred location for log files of unbundled packages.

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