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We have solaris zones running in Sparc T5 server

Currently a solaris zone run Solaris 10 OS version. 

$uname -a
SunOS zone01 5.10 Generic_150400-30 sun4v sparc sun4v

Going further, we would like this zone to run Solaris 11 OS version, because Solaris 10 OS is going End of Support.

Critical goal is: We do not want to build new solaris zones(Solaris OS 11) at any cost. We want existing zones to get upgraded to Solaris 11. Why do we use these zones? Because we have a business application running on it, which is the actual usage scenario.

My understanding for upgrade of zone is, shut down all solaris zones and upgrade Sparc T5 server(not solaris zone) from solaris 10 to solaris 11. Start solaris zones after upgrade of Sparc T5 server.

What is the recommended approach to upgrade an OS of an existing solaris zone?

Edit: I read that: "We can simply detach a Zone from one Global Zone (OS) and attach it to another Global Zone on another machine along with the application." Can't a solaris 10 zone be migrated from version 10 global zone to version 11 global zone? And then upgrade the migrated zone...

overexchange
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2 Answers2

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You could not have Solaris 11 zone on Solaris 10 OS. Upgrade from Solaris 10 to Solaris 11 is impossible. The only way for you is to reinstall all your applications in fresh installed Solaris 11 zones on fresh installed Solaris 11 OS.

The best way is to have the second server, where you could reinstall your applications one by one, having rollback possibility.

If you have not other server, you may install new copy of Solaris 11 in Logical Domain (LDOM) on the same server, then implement s11 (or branded s10) zones in this domain. This way requires good solaris-administration skills and some free resources on current server (cpu, memory, storage). This job is interesting ;), you will also have possibility for rollback. After such one-by-one application migration you will have to replace (reinstall) your current primary domain with Solaris 10 to Solaris 11. By this way you will transform your buisness apps in zones running in LDOM with future possibility for online migration to other T5 server.

Sasha Golikov
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  • Application is cluster aware... two zones per cluster running in production. Without reinstall... can we migrate application from one zone to other? – overexchange Aug 03 '18 at 21:52
  • No, you can not. Try to setup new cluster in new zones. Also I think, that you will need to update cluster version to the lastest, because cluster soft usually have deep integration with OS and may not work properly in Solaris 11. – Sasha Golikov Aug 04 '18 at 06:35
  • update. You could archive your Solaris 10 zone, then attach this to newly installed Solaris 11 OS. This is called branded zone. This zone will work without own kernel, solaris 11 will emulate solaris10 kernel interface. But it is impossible to upgrade branded solaris10 zone to native solaris11 zone. – Sasha Golikov Aug 04 '18 at 06:45
  • Ok. Can't we shut down all zones and upgrade OS of sparc T5 server from solaris 10 to solaris 11 and then start all zones expecting they work as Solaris 11 zones? – overexchange Aug 04 '18 at 09:56
  • No, upgrade is impossible. – Sasha Golikov Aug 04 '18 at 13:34
  • Did you mention the second migration option in the answer? https://blogs.oracle.com/solaris/easily-migrate-to-oracle-solaris-11-on-new-sparc-hardware – overexchange Aug 05 '18 at 15:24
  • This "After such one-by-one application migration you will have to replace ..." ment, that you install applacation on new solaris zone, copy application settings manually and check how it works. Then continue with next app. – Sasha Golikov Aug 05 '18 at 19:06
  • Just FYI... OS version of Global zone is `Solaris 10` – overexchange Aug 07 '18 at 13:18
  • Sorry, I do not understand your last comment. I know that you have Solaris10 and my answer was written for it. – Sasha Golikov Aug 07 '18 at 13:25
  • Sorry for the confusion.. Yes you know that... but I thought to document it in the query... as i did not mention in the question.. – overexchange Aug 07 '18 at 13:33
  • I have a question ...https://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/46076904#46076904 – overexchange Aug 07 '18 at 13:50
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You cannot run a supported solaris 11 zone on a machine where the global (root) zone is solaris 10. You can run a branded solaris 10 zone on a machine where the global zone is solaris 11. This does not help but it answers your question: No you cannot do it.

jim mcnamara
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