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Supported Linux Distributions
The lx brand includes the tools necessary to install a CentOS 3.x or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.x distribution inside a non-global zone. Versions 3.5 to 3.8 of each distribution are supported. The brand supports the execution of 32-bit Linux applications on x86 and x64 machines running the Solaris system in either 32-bit or 64-bit mode.
The lx brand emulates the system call interfaces provided by the Linux 2.4.21 kernel, as modified by Red Hat in the RHEL 3.x distributions. This kernel provides the system call interfaces consumed by the glibc version 2.3.2 released by Red Hat.
In addition, the lx brand partially emulates the Linux /dev and /proc interfaces.
Caution - Note that you must maintain a supported configuration if you
add packages to an lx branded zone. See About Maintaining a Supported Configuration for
more information.
Application Support
The Solaris system imposes no limit on the number of Linux applications you can run in an lx branded zone. Sufficient memory must be available. Also see System and Space Requirements.
Regardless of the underlying kernel, only 32-bit Linux applications are able to run.
The lx zone supports only user-level Linux applications. You cannot use Linux device drivers, Linux kernel modules, or Linux file systems from inside an lx zone.
See http://opensolaris.org/os/community/brandz/applications for a list of some applications that have been successfully run under the lx brand. See How to Install an Application in an lx Branded Zone for an example of installing an application.
You cannot run Solaris applications inside an lx zone. However, the lx zone enables you to use the Solaris system to develop, test, and deploy Linux applications. For example, you can place a Linux application in an lx zone and analyze it using Solaris tools run from the global zone. You can then make improvements and deploy the tuned application on a native Linux system.
Debugging Tools
Solaris debugging tools such as DTrace and mdb can be applied to Linux processes executing inside the zone, but the tools themselves must be running in the global zone. Any core files generated are produced in the Solaris format and can only be debugged with Solaris tools.
DTrace is enabled for Linux applications by the DTrace lxsyscall dynamic tracing provider. The provider acts like the DTrace syscall provider. The lxsyscall provider provides probes that fire whenever a thread enters or returns from a Linux system call entry point.
For more information on debugging options, see the Solaris Dynamic Tracing Guide, and the dtrace(1M) and mdb(1) man pages. The Solaris Dynamic Tracing Guide describes the public documented interfaces available for the DTrace facility. The documentation about the syscall provider can be used for the lxsyscall provider.
Note - Because NFS is dependent on name services, which are zone specific, you cannot access any NFS file system that is mounted outside of the current zone. Thus, you cannot debug NFS-based Linux processes from the global zone.
Commands and Other Interfaces
The commands identified in the following table provide the primary administrative interface to the zones facility.
Table 29-1 Commands and Other Interfaces Used With lx Branded Zones
Command Reference | Description |
|---|---|
zlogin(1) | Log in to a non-global zone |
zoneadm(1M) | Administers zones on a system |
zonecfg(1M) | Used to set up a zone configuration |
getzoneid(3C) | Used to map between zone ID and name |
brands(5) | Provides description of branded zones facility |
lx(5) | Provides description of Linux branded zones |
zones(5) | Provides description of zones facility |
lx_systrace(7D) | DTrace Linux system call tracing provider |
zcons(7D) | Zone console device driver |
The zoneadmd daemon is the primary process for managing the zone's virtual platform. The man page for the zoneadmd daemon is zoneadmd(1M). The daemon does not constitute a programming interface.
Note - Table 26-5 covers commands that can be used in the global zone to display information about all non-global zones, including branded zones.
Setting Up lx Branded Zones on Your System (Task Map)
The following table provides an overview of the tasks that are involved in setting up lx zones on your system for the first time.
Task | Description | For Instructions |
|---|---|---|
Identify each 32-bit Linux application that you would like to run in a zone. | Assess the system needs of the application. | Refer to your business goals and to your system documentation if necessary. |
Determine how many zones to configure. | Assess:
| See Application Support, System and Space Requirements, Evaluating the Current System Setup, Script to Configure Multiple lx Branded Zones. |
Determine whether you will use resource management features such as resource pools with your zone to create a container. | If you are also using resource management features on your system, align the zones with the resource management boundaries. If you are using resource pools, configure the pools before you configure zones. Note that you can add zone-wide resource controls and pool functionality to a zone quickly by using zonecfg properties. | See How to Configure the lx Branded Zone, Chapter 1, Introduction to Solaris Resource Manager, Chapter 13, Creating and Administering Resource Pools (Tasks). |
Perform the preconfiguration tasks. | Determine the zone name and the zone path for each zone. If network connectivity is required, obtain IP addresses. Determine the scheduling class for the zone. Determine the set of privileges that processes inside the zone should be limited to, if the standard default set is not sufficient. | For information on the zone name, zone path, IP addresses, and scheduling class, see Chapter 17, Non-Global Zone Configuration (Overview) and Evaluating the Current System Setup. For a listing of default privileges and privileges that can be configured in a non-global zone, see Privileges in a Non-Global Zone. For information on resource pool association, see How Zones Work and How to Configure the lx Branded Zone. |
Develop configurations. | Configure non-global zones. | See Configuring, Verifying, and Committing a Zone and the zonecfg(1M) man page. |
As global administrator, verify and install configured zones. | Zones must be verified and installed prior to booting the zone. You must obtain a Linux distribution before you install a Linux branded zone. | See Chapter 32, About Installing, Booting, Halting, and Uninstalling lx Branded Zones (Overview) and Chapter 33, Installing, Booting, Halting, Uninstalling and Cloning lx Branded Zones (Tasks). |
As global administrator, boot the non-global zones. | Boot each zone to place the zone in the running state. | See Chapter 33, Installing, Booting, Halting, Uninstalling and Cloning lx Branded Zones (Tasks). |
Prepare the new zone for production use. | Create user accounts, add additional software, and customize the zone's configuration using standard Linux system administration tools and methodologies from within the zone. | Refer to the documentation you use to set up a newly installed machine and install applications. Special considerations applicable to a system with zones installed are covered in this guide. |