Difference between AIX and Solaris

Solaris and AIX Installation perform following activity similarly :

• Probe the hardware for devices and load the appropriate device drivers
• Assign a host name
• Set up a network setup type, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) or
• Static IP
• If you choose static IP, you will be asked to enter the IP address, subnet
• Mask, default gateway, and Domain Name System (DNS) servers to use.
• Select a region type to use for languages
• Select a time zone
• Select the initial or upgrade installation type
• Prompt for a hard disk to use for root partition
• Prompt for an automatic or manual disk layout for the file systems
• Prompt for the software bundle or packages to install

We can Differentiate AIX and Solaris in following Manner:

Tasks	SOLARIS	AIX 5 L
Set bootlist and hardware	“Boot” command at OK prompt E.g. boot disk0	System maintenance service menu (SMS)
Automated live patch upgrade	Patch Manager	Service Update Management Assistant
Install preserving user data	Live Upgrade	Preservation installation
Install operating system (OS) on another disk	Live Upgrade	alt_disk_install ( Reduces the downtime in production environment )
Network installation	Jumpstart™ _ Flash Install	Network Install Manager
Create installation server	setup_install_server install_dir_path	nimconfig
Create a boot server for network install	setup_install_server -b	smitty nim_config_env
Set up a client for network installation	add_install_client	smitty nim_mkmac
Display current OS level	Uname -a	Oslevel -r
Display installed packages	pkginfo	pkginfo
Display installed patches	showrev -p	instfix -ia
Backup	As Solaris is having Universal file system backup has been taken by: Ufsdump command	There are two ways we can take backup Mksysb backup by which we can take os image backup. After taking image backup on the tape or any device(tape/cd) we can use this tape as bootable device in critical situation Savevg backup by which we can take normal vg backup
Disk identification	Echo | format E.g. format Searching for disks...done AVAILABLE DISK SELECTIONS: 0. c1t0d0 <SUN72G cyl 14087 alt 2 hd 24 sec 424>	Lsdev –Cc disk E.g. lsdev -Cc disk hdisk0 Available 10-60-00-8,0 16 Bit SCSI Disk Drive hdisk1 Available 10-60-00-9,0 16 Bit SCSI Disk Drive hdisk2 Available 10-70-00-0,0 SCSI Disk Array RAID 5 hdisk3 Available 10-70-00-1,0 SCSI Disk Array RAID 0 hdisk4 Available 10-70-00-2,0 SCSI Disk Array RAID 0 hdisk5 Available 10-70-00-3,0 SCSI Disk Array RAID 0
Vendor information	Format /inquire	Lscfg –vl hdisk
Disk analysis	format / analyse	diag
Create a volume group	N/A	Mkvg
Create a logical volume	metainit volumename raidtype devices...	Mklv
Enable the volume or volume group	N/A	Varyonvg
Disable the volume or volume group	N/A	Varyoffvg
Export a volume group	N/A	Exportvg
Delete the volume or volume group	metaclear	rmlv
Extend a volume or logical volume	metadetach Volname devicename	extendlv
Extend a file system after volume has been grown	Growfs	Chfs
Reduce a volume or logical volume	metadetach Volname devicename	Chfs
Add a device to the volume or volume group	metattach or metaini t	extendvg
Delete a device from the volume or volume group	metadetach	reducevg
Install package	pkgadd	installp -a
Display installed package	pkginfo or _ pkgparam	lslpp -al
Remove software package	pkgrm	installp -u
Upgrade or install package	pkgadd	install_all_updates
Verify correct installation	pkgchk	lppchk -v
List the contents of an installed package	Look in /var/sadm/install/contents	lslpp -f fileset
Check which file belongs to which package	/usr/sbin/pkgchk -lp somefile	lslpp -w /pathname/filename
Check package information	pkginfo -l	lslpp -al | grep fileset

Device Management Difference:

SOLARIS	AIX 5L	Description
/dev	/dev	Contains logical device files
/devices	Stored in the Object Data Manager (ODM) custom device class	Contains physical device files
devfsadm	cfgmgr rmdev mkdev	Commands that create and manage the device files

Solaris logical disk devices

Solaris administrators refer to disk devices by selecting the subdirectory that it is

linked to (either /dev/rdsk or /dev/dsk), followed by a string of information that

indicates the specific controller, disk, and slice:

/dev/dsk/c[1]t[2]d[3]s[4]

In this:

_ 1 refers to the logical controller number

_ 2 refers to the physical bus target number

_ 3 refers to the disk number

_ 4 refers to the slice or partition number

AIX 5L disk devices

AIX 5L administrators refer to a disk device by its hdisk name.

/dev/hdisk[x]

In this, x is the number of the hard disk.

AIX 5L device naming does not include the controller, target, or disk number in

the disk device name. AIX 5L does not use a slice or partition number as Solaris

does. For more information about how AIX 5L manages the disks and the file

systems,

To determine the controller that an hdisk is on, use the lspath command.

lspath -H -l hdisk1
            The system will display a message similar to the following:
            status    device   parent
            enabled   hdisk1   scsi0

logical device access commands in Solaris and AIX 5L:

Solaris	AIX 5L
df /dev/dsk/c1t0d0s0	df /dev/hd1a
fsck /dev/rdsk/c1t3d0s4	fsck /dev/hd1
mount /dev/dsk/c1t1d0s0 /mnt/1	mount -v jfs2 -o log=/dev/loglv00 /dev/fslv00 /mnt
newfs /dev/rdsk/c0t0d1s1	mkfs /dev/lv01
prtvtoc /dev/dsk/c1t1d0s0	N/A because AIX 5L does not use disk slices

Quick reference for device management

Task	Solaris	AIX
Run multiple tasks in a graphical user interface (GUI) environment	smc	_ smit _ Web-based System Manager
Configure a device (dynamic reconfiguration)	_ cfgadm _ devfsadm	cfgmgr
Add a device with the command line	devfsadm	Mkdev
Remove an SCSI device	_ luxadm (for Sun storage only) _ devfsadm -C	Rmdev
Change attributes for a device	No equivalent	Chdev
List devices	Ø _ prtconf Ø _ sysdef Ø _ dmesg Ø _ prtdiag Ø _ kstat	Prtconf Lscfg ;lsdev
List the configuration attributes for devices	No equivalent	lsattr -El
List vital product data (serial number, model, vendor, part number) of a device	No equivalent We can find it by using Prtfru –v command	Lscfg –vl device name e.g. lscfg –vl rmt0

 

Network commands and configuration files differences:

Task	Solaris	AIX 5L
Configure TCP/IP interface	Edit the following files: Ø _ /etc/hostname* Ø _ /etc/inet/* Ø _ /etc/defaultrouter Ø _ /etc/defaultdomain _ /etc/nodename _ /etc/netmasks	[smit,wsm] tcpip
Display interface status and statistics	netstat -i _ ifconfig	netstat -i _ ifconfig
Display interface settings	ifconfig	ifconfig
Configure interface	ifconfig	ifconfig
Check various network statistics	netstat	netstat
Change name server or domains	vi /etc/resolv.conf	namerslv _ vi /etc/resolv.conf _ smitty namerslv
Specify name services search order	vi /etc/nsswitch.conf	vi /etc/netsvc.conf
Set up Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)	dhcpconfig Ø _ dhcpmgr Ø _ dhcpinfo Ø _ dhtadm Ø _ pntadm	Ø _ dhcpsconf Ø _ dhcpaction Ø _ dhcprd Ø _ bootptodhcp Ø _ dadmin
Check routing table	netstat -r _ route	netstat -r _ route _ smitty route
Modify routing table	route	smitty route _ route
Test for connectivity	ping	ping
Check IP path	traceroute	traceroute
Capture network packets	snoop	tcpdump _ iptrace/ipreport

 

Booting and Shutdown

Tasks	Solaris	AIX 5L
Boot process	Phases: _ Boot PROM: Display system information, run POST, load bootblk, locate ufsboot _ Boot programs: bootblk loads and executes the ufsboot _ Kernel initialization: ufsboot loads and executes the core kernel, initializes core kernel data structures, loads other kernel modules based on the /etc/system file, starts /sbin/init program _ init: Starts other processes based on the /etc/inittab file	Phases: _ ROS: Check the system board, perform POST, locate the boot image, load the boot image into memory, begin system initialization and execute phase 1 of the/etc/rc.boot script _ Base device configuration: Start Configuration Manager to configure base devices _ System boot: Start init process phase 2, switch to hard disk root file system, start other processes defined by records in the /etc/inittab file and execute phase 3 of the /etc/rc.boot script
Kernel modules directory	directories: _ /platform/sparc/kernel or /platform/i86pc/kernel _ /kernel _ /usr/kernel	Kernel and kernel extension modules are stored in two directories: _ /usr/lib/boot _ /usr/lib/drivers
System-run levels	Eight run levels: _ 0: Power-down state _ s or S: Single-user state _ 1: Administrative state _ 2: Multiuser state _ 3: Multiuser state with NFS resources shared (default run level) _ 4: Alternative multiuser (nit in use) _ 5: Power-down state _ 6: Reboot to run level 3 state	Defined run levels: _ 0-1: Reserved for future use _ 2: Multiuser mode with NFS resources shared (default run level) _ 3-9: Defined according to user’s Preferences _ m, M, s, S: Single-user mode (maintenance level) _ a, b, c: Starts processes assigned to the new run levels while leaving the existing processes at the current level running _ Q, q: init command to reexamine the /etc/inittab file
Determine a system’s run level	who -r	who -r
Change a system’s run level	Choose one of the following: Ø _ halt Ø _ init Ø _ poweroff Ø _ reboot Ø _ shutdown Ø _ telinit Ø _ uadmin	_ init or _ telinit level number
Startup script	/sbin/rc run-level number	/etc/rc
Shutdown and reboot	reboot or _ shutdown -i 6	reboot (single-user mode) or _ Shutdown -Fr
Shutdown	Ø _ init 5 Ø _ shutdown Ø _ halt or Ø _ poweroff (ok prompt only)	shutdown or halt

 

Displaying system information

Task	Solaris	AIX 5L
System information	uname	uname
Processor information	prtdiag or psrinfo	lsdev or lsattr
Memory size	prtdiag or prtconf	lsattr -El mem0
Mounted file system information	df	df
Mounted file system information	du	du
Host name information	host name or uname -n	host name or uname -n
Serial number		lsattr -El sys0 |grep system
List process	prstat top ps	nmon topas ps
Adapter location	prtdiag, cfgadm or cat /etc/path_to_inst	lsdev lscfg or lsslot
Network IP	ifconfig	ifconfig
Network route	route	route
Network connection feature	ndd or kstat	netstat -v

 

User Administration:

Task	Solaris	AIX
Adding users	useradd	mkuser
Removing users	userdel	rmuser
Displaying currently logged users	who or	who or
Displaying users and their attributes	listusers _ logins	lsuser
Password files	/etc/passwd and _ /etc/shadow	/etc/passwd and _ /etc/security/passwd
Administering user password	passwd	passwd chpasswd or pwdadm
Modifying user account	usermod	chuser
System-wide environment file	/etc/profile	_ /etc/profile and _ /etc/environment
Adding a group	groupadd	mkgroup
Group files	/etc/group	_ /etc/group _ /etc/security/group
Modifying a group	groupmod	chgroup
Deleting a group	groupdel	rmgroup
Defining system resource limits for user	ulimit	/etc/security/limits or _ ulimit

 

Managing syslog

Task	Solaris	AIX
Managing syslog	/usr/sbin/syslogd	/usr/sbin/syslogd
Configuration file for syslog	/etc/syslog.conf	/etc/syslog.conf
Refresh syslogd after a change to the configuration file	kill -HUP syslogd-pid	refresh -p syslogd-pid
Diagnostics messages for bootup problems	/var/adm/messages (if kern.debug messages are being logged)	/var/adm/ras/bootlog

 

References:

• http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks