Installing Oracle Solaris 11.4 can be done on a physical SPARC or x86 server or in a virtualized environment. Below is a step-by-step guide for a typical installation on a supported system.

Step 1: Prepare Installation Media

1. Download Oracle Solaris 11.4 ISO from Oracle Software Delivery.
2. Create installation media:
   • Bootable USB drive using dd or similar tools (for x86 systems)
   • CD/DVD or virtual ISO mount for virtual machines
3. Verify hardware compatibility:
   • SPARC T-series / M-series for SPARC builds
   • x86 systems for x86 builds

Step 2: Boot from Installation Media

1. Insert USB/DVD or mount ISO in VM.
2. Reboot the system and enter BIOS/OBP (Open Boot PROM) / UEFI.
3. Select boot from USB/DVD/ISO.

4. For SPARC: Use ok prompt to boot from CD/DVD:

   ok boot cdrom
   

5. For x86: Select the boot device in BIOS/UEFI menu.

Step 3: Choose Installation Type

When the Solaris Installer GUI or text-based installer starts:

1. Installation Options:
   • Interactive GUI installation – Recommended for desktops or servers with console access
   • Automated JumpStart (network install) – For multiple systems or automated installs
2. Select Language & Keyboard Layout
3. Accept Oracle Solaris License Agreement

Step 4: Configure Disk and File System

1. Select Disk for installation.
2. Partitioning Options:
   • Automatic layout (recommended for beginners)
   • Custom layout – Choose ZFS for root (/) and other mount points (/var, /home)

Notes:

• Solaris 11.4 defaults to ZFS root filesystem, which offers snapshots, rollback, and high reliability.
• You can create boot environments (BEs) to make upgrades safer.

Step 5: Configure Network

• Assign hostname, IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS.
• Can use DHCP for automatic assignment.
• Ensure network is reachable for updates or package installation.

Step 6: Set Security and User Accounts

1. Set root password.
2. Create administrator or regular user account.
3. Configure SSH access if needed.

Step 7: Select Packages / Software

• Choose Default System Packages or Custom Packages depending on your workload.
• For servers, you may select Developer and System Admin tools, Virtualization support, or Database packages.

Step 8: Begin Installation

• Review configuration summary.
• Click Install or confirm for text-based installation.
• The installer will:
  • Partition disks
  • Create ZFS pools
  • Install the base system and selected packages
  • Configure network and users

Step 9: Post-Installation Steps

1. Reboot system.
2. Log in as root or admin user.
3. Verify installation:

uname -a       # Solaris version and architecture
pkg info       # Installed packages

4. Update system packages:

pkg update     # Updates all installed packages

5. Configure additional services (NFS, SSH, Web, etc.) as required.

Step 10: Optional Virtualization Setup

• Install Oracle VM Server for SPARC (LDOMs) or Zones/Containers for virtualization.
• Solaris 11.4 supports:
  • LDOMs (SPARC only)
  • Zones / Containers (x86 & SPARC)

Summary Table

✅ In short: Boot from the Solaris 11.4 ISO → choose installation type → configure disk, network, users → install packages → reboot and update system.