SCSA I Solaris 10

Now that we have created filesystems, they need to be maintained and healthy. This objective covers checking, fixing, and monitoring Solaris filesystems:

Given a scenario, check and resolve Solaris 10 OS file system inconsistencies using fsck, and monitor file system usage using the command line (df, du, and quot commands).

The fsck command will, if you administer Solaris systems long enough, make you a hero. Read the rest of this entry »

A disk partition/slice is of no use to an operating system (most of the time) without a filesystem (like NTFS on Windows machines). This objective covers several types of filesystems available on Solaris and how to create a UFS filesystem:

Explain the Solaris 10 OS file system, including disk-based, distributed, devfs, and memory file systems related to SMF, and create a new UFS file system using options for <1Tbyte and >1Tbyte file systems.

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Solaris disks are partitioned into slices before they have a filesystem created on them. The partition table is represented in a disk’s label. There are several utilities for managing partition tables and labels which are covered in this objective:

Given a scenario, partition a disk correctly using the appropriate files, commands, and options, and manage disk labels using SMI and EFI labels as they relate to disk sets.

The bread and butter command for disk partitioning is format Read the rest of this entry »

Now that we understand filesystems and disk devices, the SCSA exam expects us to be able to administer them. This objective covers the following:

Use the prtconf and format commands to list devices, explain critical issues of the /etc/path_to_inst file and reconfigure devices by performing a reconfiguration boot or using the devfsadm command for SPARC, x64, and x86-based systems.

The prtconf command displays information about the system and peripheral devices Read the rest of this entry »

The whole point of a computer system is ultimately about manipulating files. Files live in a filesystem on disks. Understanding how these work is crucial to a system administrator. This objective:

Explain disk architecture including the UFS file system capabilities and naming conventions for devices for SPARC, x64, and x86-based systems.

The UNIX File System (UFS) is Read the rest of this entry »

Moving on to Objective section 2 in the SCSA Solaris 10 exam I, the exam requires certain knowledge of the file systems.

Explain the Solaris 10 OS directory hierarchy, including root subdirectories, file components, and file types, and create and remove hard and symbolic links.

Daniel Quinlan has a detailed explanation of UNIX directory hierarchies that goes far beyond what will be expected of you in the SCSA exam. If you ever question what a directory is (or should be) for, check that page. For the SCSA exam, knowing the directories in the / root filesystem should be adequate, with a few additions. Read the rest of this entry »

The second objective in section 1 states:

Perform an OS installation from CD / DVD for SPARC, x64, and x86- based systems.

The Sun docs for installing/upgrading on SPARC are here. There are three options for the interface while installing or upgrading. There is a full GUI (boot cdrom), a plain, wholesome text-only console session (boot cdrom - nowin), and a hybrid, the text session in a graphical windows (boot cdrom - text). The boot cdrom … command is issued at the ok> prompt. The parameter cdrom is used whether the drive is a CD or DVD drive as it is just a device alias for the CD or DVD drive in the system.
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This is the first objective for the Sun Certified System Administrator for Solaris 10 exam and it is a vague one. Here is the official objective:

Explain the Solaris 10 OS installation and upgrade options for CD / DVD, including how to provide Minimal Installations for SPARC, x64, and x86-based systems.

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This category is meant to help prepare for the Sun Certified System Administrator for Solaris 10, Part 1, exam (that’s a mouthful). Sun’s certifications do not lend themselves to the catchy acronyms like other certifications either by strange letter combinations or because they are less frequently attained. Whatever the case, this study guide will follow the objectives listed on the page linked above. If you’ve never taken a Sun exam before, the most important piece of advice I can give is that they don’t stray from the objectives. Know the objectives and you can pass the exam.
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