What is Solaris Operating System?

Solaris is a system based on the operating system and its open-source counterpart, OpenSolaris. In this article, I will tell you about the rich history of this powerful OS. I will also cover its main features and essential developments.

However, we will look at the evolution of Solaris and OpenSolaris. As a result, we will reveal the unique features of these operating systems!

What are Solaris and OpenSolaris Operating Systems?

In 1992, Sun Microsystems, the successor to SunOS, began developing Solaris. Later, in 2010, Oracle acquired Sun. They immediately named this system Oracle Solaris.

In addition, this OS is an officially approved Unix system. It works on SPARC and X86 architectures. Therefore, it is an ideal system for servers and workstations.

What is Its History?

They released Sun’s first operating system in 1983. They later called it SunOS. In fact, one of the company’s founders was a programmer working on UNIX BSD.

They later improved this operating system by adding System V functions. As a result, it became a completely System V-based operating system.

In 1992, they released the System V-based version. So they called it Solaris 2. So, for backward compatibility, they called the previous versions Solaris 1.

They continued to use the SunOS structure as the core of the operating environment. So, as a result, it included version 2, SunOS 5.0.

They also made a distinction between the kernel and the operating environment over time. Later, they started to develop it with packages such as Apache or DTrace. For example, Solaris 8 includes SunOS 5.8.

Solaris Features

This system uses a joint code base for SPARC and X86 (including AMD64/EM64T). They also ported it to PowerPC in version 2.5.1. However, they canceled this port.

They also worked on Itanium hardware but did not release it. Instead, they implemented Linux ABIs in Solaris 10. This allowed Linux Object Code to run natively on the x86 platform.

This system became famous for its support of SMP (Symmetric Multiprocessing). It also supported 64-bit SPARC applications since Solaris 7.

Historically, Solaris was tightly integrated with SPARC hardware. However, since version 2.1, it also supports x86 systems.

Sun took advantage of this architecture by developing Solaris with AMD64-based CPUs. Furthermore, they focused on AMD64 for entry-level workstations.

They did not develop SPARC workstations. Instead, they considered models based on Intel Core 2 and AMD64. For example, the first desktop environment was OpenWindows. But they replaced it with CDE in version 2.5.

Finally, they preferred GNOME as the default desktop environment in Solaris 10.

What are Solaris Versions?

1) OpenSolaris

In 2005, Sun Microsystems developed OpenSolaris. Now, this company is part of Oracle. On the other hand, they released the source code under the CDDL license under the name OpenSolaris.

FSF, CDDL, and OSI approved. However, it is not compatible with GPL. However, on June 14, 2005, they powered the OpenSolaris system with the development base of Solaris.

So, we can download the binary and source code versions for free. Also, we can license these versions. In short, OpenSolaris is not only an operating system but also a community.

Since they developed OpenSolaris from Unix System V code, most of the code has changed since the early 1990s. On the other hand, we can say that it is the only derivative of System V with the available source code.

In addition, they added features such as Xen support to OpenSolaris. At that time, Sun stated that OpenSolaris would power the new OS versions.

2) Development Version

They developed the code base in the late 1980s. Plus, they released this work as version 2.0. Since then, they have constantly updated and improved it.

Before the development version was released, they released a snapshot. Later, this image was kept as a spin-off project.

They made updates to the project several times a year. In addition, these improvements continue until the next official version is released.

They named the developed Solaris versions “Nevada.” Moreover, this system has an Express program. Through this program, they offered downloadable versions once a month.

Of course, they used these versions to test the quality and stability of the system.

3) Solaris 10

Sun Microsystems announced the Solaris 10 version on January 31, 2005. Then, they referred to this version as a proprietary software operating system.

They released this version as a free software project called OpenSolaris. It is a new step for Sun since they closed all previous versions.

In other words, they distribute this version under the CDDL Common Development and Distribution License. After all, Sun Solaris runs on SPARC 32 and 64-bit architectures. It also supports x86 processors.

4) Solaris 11

Solaris 11 is an important and latest operating system that stands out with its powerful features. Oracle released this version on November 9, 2011. They also announced extended system stability support until 2034.

Version 11 offers high performance and reliability for enterprise environments. In fact, it is based on Unix and has a rich heritage.

One of the main features of Solaris 11 is ZFS (Zettabyte File System). ZFS provides solid data integrity and large storage capacities. It also protects data and simplifies management.

On the other hand, this system offers more efficient virtualization technologies. It provides features such as Solaris Zones and Kernel Zones. Thanks to this, we can create lightweight and secure environments and minimize operational costs.

Moreover, it provides comprehensive support for industry standards and protocols. Thus, it eliminates compatibility issues by ensuring compatibility with IT ecosystems.

Version 11 provides rich development tools and libraries as well as enables the creation of applications on its platform. On the other hand, with Oracle’s support and resources, it is possible to optimize this deployment.

Other Features of the Oracle System

• Self-Healing Feature

Sun has integrated a technology called PSH into the Solaris kernel. We also know this technology as PSH (Predictive Self-Healing Technology).

I can say that thanks to PSH, system risks are reduced. For example, in this case, we increase equipment availability. In other words, PSH takes measures to prevent significant future dangers.

In short, it reduces downtime and reduces costs. Thus, the primary purpose of PCs is to control hardware and manage errors. Therefore, Sun developed PSH to prevent such problems and minimize damage.

• DTrace Feature

DTrace offers a feature called dynamic monitoring. This feature can investigate performance issues in real-time. It also reaches out to areas of the system that are performing slower. In short, it uses intelligent system probes to detect bottlenecks.

• Container Feature

Containers make execution environments hardware-independent. This makes consolidation simple, reliable, and secure. Additionally, hardware utilization increases thanks to virtualization.

• File System

Solaris’ file system, ZFS, manages storage and prevents data corruption. It offers virtually unlimited storage with 128-bit system capacity. Moreover, ZFS protects data with 64-bit aggregates.

• Update Support

Solaris users adapt their systems to innovations with regular updates. This service ensures that the system remains up to date.

• Compatibility

Solaris supports applications that are compatible with previous versions, while GNU/Linux applications run natively on these systems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion

In summary, the evolution and future of the Solaris and OpenSolaris operating systems still intrigue users. In fact, they first appeared as SunOS. Over time, we saw them evolve into Solaris and then OpenSolaris.

However, as technology evolves, the impact of this system becomes more apparent. In summary, these platforms are so great that we will remember their contributions to the world of computing.