IRIX Admin: Software Installation and Licensing explains how to install and license software that runs under IRIX, the SGI implementation of the UNIX operating system. The IRIX installation utility, inst, supports two user interfaces: Inst, a command line interface; and Software Manager, a graphical user interface. IRIX installation tools also include RoboInst, optional software that performs multiple installations on remote systems simultaneously.
This guide contains three parts: Part I and Appendix A cover installing with Inst, the command line interface; Part II covers installing with RoboInst; and Part III covers licensing.
Appendix B, “Troubleshooting Installations” contains troubleshooting information.
 | Note: Software Manager is documented in the Personal System Administration Guide . |
IRIX Admin: Software Installation and Licensing explains how to install SGI software products using Inst, the command-line interface to the IRIX installation utility, inst (see the inst(1M) reference page). It introduces readers to SGI software release conventions and explains how to plan, execute, and maintain a software installation on SGI workstations and servers.
Two installation methods are described in this guide:
Live installations, in which software is transferred while the target system remains in operation
Specialized installations, called miniroot installations, that rely on system firmware for the software transfer (this method requires a system shutdown)
This guide also contains information that is specific to setting up FLEXlm licensing software on SGI workstations and servers. Please refer to the following documents, which are available online from IRIS InSight, for complete information on administering a licensing scheme:
FLEXlm End User Manual
Network License System Administration Guide
If you have IRIX 6.3 (or later) installed on the target system, you can use either Inst or Software Manager to perform live or miniroot installations. The tool that you choose depends on whether you prefer using a command-line or graphical interface. If unusual errors occur during a miniroot installation, the Inst interface is automatically invoked for error recovery (even if you used Software Manager to start the installation), since Inst is the only interface available from the miniroot (“About Miniroot Installations” in Chapter 3 provides more information).
| Note: If the target system is running IRIX 6.2 or earlier, you must use Inst to perform any miniroot installation, including an upgrade to IRIX 6.5. |
The operation of inst and the Inst and Software Manager interfaces can be customized with a set of preferences. Use Chapter 8, “Customizing Installations” of this guide as a comprehensive reference for specifying preferences and for managing the configuration files that store preference settings for both interfaces.
The IRIX Admin: Software Installation and Licensing guide is organized into three parts and two appendixes.
Part I of this guide consists of eight chapters covering these installation topics:
| Chapter 1, “Understanding Software Installations” | Describes how software distributions are organized and the effects of this organization on the installation process. Introduces the fundamental concepts and vocabulary of software installation and presents an overview of the installation process using Inst. | |
| Chapter 2, “Preparing for Installation” | Identifies the factors that must be considered in planning for installations and describes the preliminary work on a server and target system that ensures smooth installations. | |
| Chapter 3, “Starting an Installation” | Contains procedures for starting a miniroot and a live installation. Also explains how miniroot installations work. Use this chapter in conjunction with the procedures in Chapter 4, “Using the Main Menu” to install software. | |
| Chapter 4, “Using the Main Menu” | Contains procedures for installing software using commands on the Inst Main menu. Use this chapter after starting an installation with the procedures in Chapter 3, “Starting an Installation”. | |
| Chapter 5, “Using Supplementary Menus” | Describes how to use the View Commands menu to change the way information is displayed in software listings. Also explains how to use the Administrative Commands menu to execute specialized installation commands and change conditions on the target host during an installation session. Procedures in this chapter require mastery of the material in Chapter 4, “Using the Main Menu”. | |
| Chapter 6, “Inst for Experts” | Describes methods of using Inst that supplement the basic method presented in Chapter 4, “Using the Main Menu”. Use this chapter after you become comfortable with the procedures in Chapter 4, “Using the Main Menu”. | |
| Chapter 7, “Maintenance Tips” | Contains procedures for updating installed software and keeping software current with site requirements. | |
| Chapter 8, “Customizing Installations” | Explains how to customize Inst to suit both personal preferences and the requirements of other system users. Includes information for tailoring Software Manager. |
Part II of this guide contains one chapter and covers installations using RoboInst:
| Chapter 9, “Automating Installations With RoboInst” | Explains how automatic miniroot installations work, how to prepare the files that they need, and how to launch automatic miniroot installations on multiple target systems. |
Part III of this guide contains one chapter and describes licensing:
| Chapter 10, “Licensing” | Refers readers to the FLEXlm End User Manual and the Network License System Administration Guide for instructions on setting up and maintain licensing schemes. Contains supplemental information that is specific to managing FLEXlm on SGI systems. |
Two appendixes are provided:
| Appendix A, “Inst Quick Reference” | Contains a condensed version of the installation instructions presented in Chapter 4, “Using the Main Menu”. Also contains a glossary of all commands that are available from Inst menus, including hidden commands. Commands are ordered alphabetically by menu. | |
| Appendix B, “Troubleshooting Installations” | Explains the types of errors that can occur during an installation, how to control error reporting, and how to interpret and resolve errors during various phases of the installation process. |
The audience for the IRIX Admin: Software Installation and Licensing guide is experienced UNIX system and site administrators who are responsible for putting software into service on various models of SGI workstations and servers. It may also be used by individual workstation owners as a comprehensive guide to software installation.
Procedures in this guide require these proficiencies:
For routine installations, experience with a command-line interface and familiarity with UNIX documentation conventions
For site preparation procedures, competence with managing servers and communications between network nodes
For advanced troubleshooting and installing on systems with nonstandard filesystem configurations or multiple system disks, proficiency with UNIX filesystem and disk management
The following conventions are used throughout this document:
Convention | Meaning |
command | This fixed-space font denotes literal items such as commands, files, routines, path names, signals, messages, and programming language structures |
variable | Italic typeface denotes variable entries and words or concepts being defined. |
user input | This bold, fixed-space font denotes literal items that the user enters in interactive sessions. Output is shown in nonbold, fixed-space font |
[] | Brackets enclose optional portions of a command or directive line. |
manpage(x) | Man page section identifiers appear in parentheses after man page names. |
This guide is part of the IRIX Admin manual set, which is intended for administrators: those who are responsible for servers, multiple systems, and file structures outside the user's home directory and immediate working directories. If you maintain systems for others or if you require more information about IRIX than is in the end-user manuals, these guides are for you. The IRIX Admin guides are available through the IRIS InSight online viewing system. The set comprises these volumes:
IRIX Admin: Software Installation and Licensing (this document)—Explains how to install and license software that runs under IRIX, the SGI implementation of the UNIX operating system. Contains instructions for performing miniroot and live installations using Inst, the command-line interface to the IRIX installation utility. Identifies the licensing products that control access to restricted applications running under IRIX and refers readers to licensing product documentation.
IRIX Admin: System Configuration and Operation —Lists good general system administration practices and describes system administration tasks, including configuring the operating system; managing user accounts, user processes, and disk resources; interacting with the system while in the PROM monitor; and tuning system performance.
IRIX Admin: Disks and Filesystems —Explains disk, filesystem, and logical volume concepts. Provides system administration procedures for SCSI disks, XFS and EFS filesystems, XLV logical volumes, and guaranteed-rate I/O.
IRIX Admin: Networking and Mail —Describes how to plan, set up, use, and maintain the networking and mail systems, including discussions of sendmail, UUCP, SLIP, and PPP.
IRIX Admin: Backup, Security, and Accounting —Describes how to back up and restore files, how to protect your system's and network's security, and how to track system usage on a per-user basis.
IRIX Admin: Resource Administration—Provides an introduction to system resource administration and describes how to use and administer various IRIX resource management features, such as IRIX job limits and Miser.
IRIX Admin: Peripheral Devices —Describes how to set up and maintain the software for peripheral devices such as terminals, modems, printers, and CD-ROM and tape drives.
IRIX Admin: Selected Reference Pages (not available in InSight)—Provides concise reference page (manual page) information on the use of commands that may be needed while the system is down. Generally, each reference page covers one command, although some reference pages cover several closely related commands. Reference pages are available online through the man(1) command.
Refer to the documents listed below for supplementary information.
SGI Origin2000 Systems with 65+ Processors: Upgrading an IRIX Operating System on a /target_root for IRIX operating system upgrade procedures for large (65+ processors) SGI Origin2000 systems.
IRIX Admin: Disks and Filesystems for information on IRIX filesystem management
IRIX Admin: Networking and Mail for information on network administration
The owner's guide to target systems for specific information on using the services of the programmable read-only memory (PROM)
Personal System Administration Guide for instructions on using the Software Manager
Diskless Workstation Administration Guide for information on installing software for diskless clients
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