Solstice AdminTools
Flexible Distributed System Management
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Solstice AdminTools /
User Manager /
Database Manager /
Printer Manager /
Host Manager /
Software Manager /
Serial Port Manager /
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Customers in commercial and technical markets want to apply advanced Solaris (TM) technology in their enterprise computing environments. Distributed computing offers cost and flexibility benefits unavailable from legacy systems or PCs. In order to take advantage of Solaris technology, customers require system administration tools and facilities that enable lower-cost management of their operating environment.
In Solaris, systems administrators become more productive by working across the network. Administrators no longer need to be physically at the machines they are working on - they can manage several systems without leaving their own workstation. Solaris has implemented distributed administration tools leveraging network services such as NIS+ to facilitate location-independent administration.
Solaris uses a three-phased approach to reducing administrative costs. The first is to automate as many routine administration tasks as possible, making user problems disappear and lightening the workload for administrators. The second is to replicate configurations and "clone" tasks, leveraging system administration efforts. Systems are managed as consistent groups, with updates that are automatically sent across the network. System administrators' efforts are leveraged because they no longer do their work on a one-at-a-time basis. Finally, Solaris simplifies system administration tasks so that administrators work with graphical tools rather than low-level commands. Higher-level tools mean fewer errors, easier system maintenance, and lower costs.
Solstice AdminTools Distributed Administration Solutions
The Solaris 2.4 distributed computing environment includes a suite of graphical tools for making the everyday tasks of Solaris system administration easier, faster and more reliable. The Solaris distributed Administration Tools are RPC-based, allowing them to be distributed across ONC+(TM) networks.
Solstice (TM) AdminTools (TM) is a unified suite of tools for running the Solaris 2.x distributed system administration applications.
All Solstice AdminTools applications have a common look and feel and share the same network-aware features, including:
- Centralized administration data repository - because you manage one consistent set of data, rather than files scattered across multiple systems, Solaris administration has never been easier.
- Location-Independence - remote administration is now a reality. You no longer have to manually connect to each system to do administration. In fact, the system does not have to be on-line when you administer it, because the relevant administrative data is held in the data repository, not the system itself.
- Administration without 'root' privileges -using a special administrative group, the Solaris administration tools are run without requiring super-user privileges.
- Name service independence - the Solaris administration tools give you the freedom to choose your Naming Service - for local or centralized control. NIS+ or NIS can be used for management data, or standard UNIX(R) files can be used for stand-alone systems.
The User Manager is a powerful, distributed tool for adding user accounts to Solaris systems. User Manager features a simplified GUI interface for making it easy to setup new user accounts, building new home directories on remote servers, and for making user information available to the outside world. User Manager supports:
- Add, Modify, Delete lifecycle operations
- Automatic relocation of custom start-up files
- Home directory creation with custom security
- NIS+ security setup and maintenance
- Persistently stores default values for domain, host, and user attributes
The Database Manager allows you to manipulate UNIX administration data directly. Like all other Solstice AdminTools, Database Manager is name service independent allowing the administrator to use a consistent window when working with both centralized or standard UNIX administration data. All database fields are clearly labelled, and can be searched for key values. Database Manager is an invaluable tool for safely and consistently managing administrative data.
The Printer Manager is an easy-to-use graphical interface for setting up both the client and server side of the SVR4 printing subsystem. The tool is used for creating new printer servers, and administering the connection of Solaris 2.x clients to their print servers. The tool allows the print server setup information to be stored and published in the NIS+ name service for easy user-level browsing and selection of remote printing resources.
Host Manager is used for connecting client systems onto the network. In Solaris 2.4, the Host Manager includes support for three different client types:
- Standalone - setup support for a stand-alone system or for a server, holding all the system and user data on local disks.
- Diskless - setup support for diskless clients i.e., all of Solaris and user data are stored on the file server.
- Dataless - setup a server to support a "shared" /usr partition, leaving the root and swap partitions on the client's disk.
In addition, Host Manager persistently stores default values for domain, host, and user attributes and data entries are checked for type and range, to reduce errors.
Software Manager is an administration application for installing and removing Solaris 2.0 SVR4 ABI-compliant software packages. This Graphical User Interface is the next generation software installation tool, replacing the earlier CDmanager (TM). Software Manager allows for browsing, installation and removal of SunSoft or ISV products contained on a CD-ROM or hard disk - local or remote.
Serial Port Manager uses progressive disclosure to allow junior to expert system administrators to manage serial ports locally or remotely.
To purchase Solstice AdminTools, in the U.S., call 1-800-SUN-SOFT.
Outside the U.S., please call +1-415-960-3200 for the location of the SunSoft office closest to you.