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Oracle Solaris

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Oracle Solaris
Company typeProprietary software
IndustryOperating systems
PredecessorSolaris (Sun Microsystems)
Founded1993
FounderSun Microsystems
ProductsUnix operating system
OwnerOracle Corporation

Oracle Solaris is a proprietary Unix operating system developed by Oracle for use on SPARC and x86-64 based workstations and servers. Initially created by Sun Microsystems under the name Solaris, it succeeded the earlier SunOS in 1993. Solaris gained recognition for its exceptional scalability, particularly on SPARC hardware, and introduced innovative technologies such as DTrace, ZFS, and Time Slider. Following Oracle's acquisition of Sun Microsystems in 2010, the operating system was rebranded as Oracle Solaris.

Solaris adhered to the Single UNIX Specification until April 29, 2019. While originally proprietary, Sun Microsystems released a significant portion of Solaris’s source code under the CDDL license in June 2005, initiating the open-source project OpenSolaris to encourage community development. After Oracle took over, OpenSolaris was discontinued, and Oracle stopped providing public updates to the Solaris kernel source code, returning Solaris 11 to a closed-source proprietary status. The OpenSolaris codebase was later forked into Illumos, which continues to be maintained through various distributions. In September 2017, Oracle notably scaled back its Solaris development teams.

History

In 1987, a collaboration between AT&T Corporation and Sun aimed to unify prominent Unix variants—Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), UNIX System V, and Xenix—into Unix System V Release 4 (SVR4). A team of approximately 40 engineers from both companies worked jointly, focusing on making SunOS compliant with SVR4 by 1988 and integrating BSD 4.2 features by 1989.

On September 4, 1991, Sun announced that it would replace SunOS 4 with a new SVR4-based operating system internally named SunOS 5 and marketed as Solaris 2. This product line encompassed SunOS itself, the OpenWindows graphical environment, and features from Open Network Computing (ONC).

Sun retroactively labeled the SunOS 4.1.x versions as Solaris 1, but the Solaris brand primarily identifies the SVR4-based SunOS 5.0 and subsequent releases. For these versions, the minor SunOS version number aligns with the Solaris release number—for instance, Solaris 2.4 corresponds to SunOS 5.4; after Solaris 2.6, the leading "2." was dropped, so Solaris 7 equates to SunOS 5.7, with SunOS 5.11 forming the basis of Solaris 11.4.

The early Solaris 2 releases were designed exclusively for SPARC processors; however, an x86 edition of Solaris 2.1 was launched in June 1993 targeting desktop and single-processor server platforms and included the Wabi emulator for running Windows applications. By 1994, Solaris 2.4 unified support for both SPARC and x86 architectures within a single source code base.

In 2011, the kernel source code for Solaris 11 was leaked online.

On September 2, 2017, Simon Phipps, a former Sun employee, revealed that Oracle had dismissed most of its core Solaris developers, raising uncertainty about the platform’s future direction. Despite this reduction in staff, Oracle continued advancing Solaris development and released version 11.4 in 2018.

Supported architectures

Solaris employs a unified code base compatible with both 64-bit SPARC and x86-64 hardware platforms.

Recognized for its robust scalability in environments with symmetric multiprocessing, Solaris supports a wide range of CPUs. Traditionally integrated with Sun’s SPARC hardware—including support for 64-bit SPARC processors beginning with Solaris 7—it has been positioned as a dependable yet premium integrated hardware-software solution. Support for x86 systems has been available since Solaris 2.1, with native 64-bit x86 compatibility introduced in Solaris 10, enabling utilization of commodity CPUs based on the x86-64 architecture.

Sun actively marketed Solaris on its x86-64-based Sun Java Workstation, x86-64 variants of the Sun Ultra series workstations, and servers equipped with AMD Opteron and Intel Xeon processors, along with x86 servers from manufacturers such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM. As of 2009, major vendors supporting Solaris on x86 servers include:

  • Dell – performs testing, certification, and optimization of Solaris and OpenSolaris on rack and blade server platforms while offering them among available software options
  • Intel – certifies carrier-grade hardware platforms compatible with Solaris
  • Hewlett Packard Enterprise – delivers distribution services and technical assistance for Solaris on BL, DL, and SL server lines
  • Fujitsu Siemens – deploys Solaris operating system on PRIMERGY server models

Additional platforms

Support for the PowerPC architecture (PowerPC Reference Platform) was initially included in Solaris 2.5.1; however, development of this port ceased prior to the release of Solaris 2.6.[1] In early 2006, the Blastwave development team initiated a PowerPC port dubbed Polaris.[2] By October of that year, efforts from Blastwave merged with Sun Labs' Project Pulsar through an OpenSolaris community initiative, reincorporating components from Solaris 2.5.1 into OpenSolaris,[1] culminating in the release of the first official source code.[3]

Although a Solaris port targeting Intel's Itanium processor was announced in 1997, it never reached commercial availability.[4]

On November 28, 2007, IBM, Sun Microsystems, and Sine Nomine Associates unveiled a preview of OpenSolaris for System z, running on an IBM System z mainframe under the z/VM hypervisor. This project was named Sirius, inspired by HMS Sirius, reflecting the Australian leadership behind it.[5] A prototype version became available on October 17, 2008,[6] and on November 19 of the same year, IBM officially authorized Sirius to operate on System z Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) processors.[7]

The Solaris operating system provides compatibility with the Linux platform application binary interface (ABI), allowing execution of native Linux binaries on x86 hardware through Solaris Containers for Linux Applications (SCLA). This functionality is based on branded zones introduced in Solaris version 10 update from August 2007.[8]

Installation and Usage Options

Solaris installation provides a range of pre-configured software collections, spanning from the minimalistic Reduced Network Support package to the comprehensive Entire Plus OEM suite. Installing the system is optional since the Solaris DVD ISO can operate directly from memory without requiring full installation. Additional applications such as Apache and MySQL are offered in ready-to-install packages through sunfreeware and OpenCSW. Solaris supports installation via physical media or network deployment suitable for both desktop and server environments, as well as a live mode that runs without installation.[9]

Updates

Within each major Solaris release, updates are distributed as Software Packages and Oracle Solaris Images. Minor enhancements, identified as Support Repository Updates (SRUs) and Critical Patch Update Packages (CPUs), necessitate valid support credentials and are not accessible to the general public.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Desktop Environments

In its initial releases, Solaris featured OpenWindows as the default desktop environment, accommodating applications built for both NeWS and the X platform, while also maintaining compatibility with legacy SunView applications. NeWS facilitated object-oriented software development through PostScript technology. Subsequently, SunView applications were transitioned to run on X.

Starting with OpenWindows 3.3 (Solaris 2.3), Sun discontinued support for SunView and NeWS, adopting X11R5 integrated with Display Postscript while preserving the OPEN LOOK user interface. The final OpenWindows version was 3.6.2, shipped with Solaris 8. Although OPEN LOOK components were removed in Solaris 9, associated libraries remain available to ensure binary compatibility; the olvwm window manager continues to be downloadable and functions up to Solaris 10.

Sun collaborated with other Unix vendors under the Common Open Software Environment (COSE) initiative to create the Common Desktop Environment (CDE), aiming to unify Unix desktop interfaces. Hewlett-Packard contributed the window manager, IBM provided the file manager, and Sun supplied email, calendar tools, and ToolTalk integration. Based on Motif technology, CDE replaced OPEN LOOK as the standard desktop environment and was included with Solaris versions 2.6 through 10.

In 2001, Sun introduced a preview of GNOME 1.4 for Solaris 8; Solaris 9 followed by offering GNOME 2.0 alongside CDE as an alternative desktop environment. Solaris 10 incorporated Sun's own Java Desktop System (JDS), which was based on GNOME and bundled applications such as StarOffice—considered by Sun as a significant feature of this release. With Solaris 11, the default shifted to an unmodified GNOME desktop environment, omitting JDS and CDE applications but retaining libraries to maintain backward compatibility.

Additional open source desktops like KDE and Xfce are also supported on recent Solaris editions.

Between 2003 and its discontinuation after 2006, Sun invested in Project Looking Glass, an innovative desktop environment initiative.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Traditional Operating System License (1992–2004)

Until Solaris 9 (released in 2005), licensing was based on bulk purchases that permitted installation across multiple systems up to a predefined limit. This license granted a non-exclusive and non-transferable right to use the binary software along with its documentation for the specified number of users and hardware categories covered by payment. It also authorized development of derivative works, allowed one backup copy for archival purposes, and included warranty disclaimers. This licensing model remained mostly consistent through 2004.

Open source era (2005 to March 2010)

Between 2005 and early 2010, Sun Microsystems made the Solaris source code available for development versions under the Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL) through the OpenSolaris initiative. This project included nearly all components necessary to build a complete release, facilitating progress toward what would become Solaris 11 (internally known as "Nevada").

Closed source period after Sun (March 2010 to present)

After Oracle completed its acquisition of Sun Microsystems in 2010, it terminated the OpenSolaris project, citing a more restrictive licensing approach. In March 2010, Solaris 10 adopted a more limited license that curtailed usage, modification, and redistribution rights. While it remained accessible as a free 90-day trial download via the Oracle Technology Network (OTN), ongoing use mandated purchasing a support contract.

With the launch of Solaris 11 in 2011, Oracle permitted free downloads of both Solaris 10 and Solaris 11 from OTN for indefinite use without requiring support contracts; however, usage was confined strictly to development activities. Commercial and production deployments were explicitly prohibited. Educational institutions were allowed to utilize Solaris within degree programs under defined terms.

Users lacking support agreements could still upgrade to new point releases, but access to monthly patches and security updates was restricted to those with active paid support contracts.

Version history

Prominent features introduced in Solaris include DTrace, Doors, Service Management Facility, Solaris Containers, Solaris Multiplexed I/O, Solaris Volume Manager, ZFS, and Solaris Trusted Extensions.

Solaris updates are released periodically. Initially, these were identified by the month and year of release (e.g., "Solaris 10 1/13"). Starting with Solaris 11, update versions are denoted by appending a decimal number to the release name (e.g., "Oracle Solaris 11.4").

The following table highlights key Solaris versions in chronological order:

... [Table continues with subsequent versions summarized similarly] ...
Solaris version SunOS version Release date End of support Foundation Significant innovations
1.x 4.1.x 1991–1994 – September 2003 4.3BSD Marketed as Solaris 1, this was essentially a rebranding of SunOS 4.
2.0 5.0 June 1992 – January 1999 SVR4 Developer preview; introduced sun4c architecture support and debuted NIS+.
2.1 5.1 December 1992 May 1993 (x86) April 1999 SVR4 Added support for sun4 and sun4m architectures; first x86-compatible release; enabled symmetric multiprocessing (SMP).
2.2 5.2 May 1993 – May 1999 SVR4 SPARC-exclusive; supported sun4d architecture and multithreaded libraries.
2.3 5.3 November 1993 – June 2002 SVR4 SPARC-only; switched OpenWindows to Display PostScript; added autofs and CacheFS.
2.4 5.4 November 1994 (unified SPARC/x86) September 2003 SVR4 First unified release for SPARC and x86 platforms; included OSF/Motif runtime support.
2.5 5.5 November 1995 (unified) December 2003 SVR4 Supported UltraSPARC processors; incorporated CDE, NFSv3, and Doors IPC.
2.5.1 5.5.1 May 1996 (unified) September 2005 SVR4 Sole Solaris version supporting PowerPC; added Ultra Enterprise compatibility, expanded UID/GID to 32-bit, processor sets, early resource management features.
2.6 5.6 July 1997 (unified) July 2006 SVR4 Introduced Kerberos V5, PAM, TrueType fonts, WebNFS, large file handling; dropped SPARCserver 600MP series support.
7 5.7 November 1998 August 2008 SVR4 First UltraSPARC release with native 64-bit support; added UFS logging; dropped MCA on x86; eliminated "2." prefix in versioning.

Solaris 10

5.10

January 2005

January 2027

SVR4

Introduced x86-64 architecture compatibility, DTrace dynamic tracing framework, Solaris Containers virtualization technology, Service Management Facility replacing init.d scripts, NFSv4 protocol support, least privilege security model, and Java Desktop System as default GUI.

  • Subsequent updates incorporated GRUB bootloader (U1), ZFS filesystem enhancements (U2), Trusted Extensions and Logical Domains virtualization (U3), Samba Active Directory integration and IP Instances (U4), CPU resource capping and performance tuning (U5), boot-from-ZFS capability and virtualization improvements (U6), Nehalem processor support with container cloning features (U7), ZFS quotas alongside patching enhancements (U8), physical-to-zone migration plus RAID-Z triple parity protection (U9), database optimizations with faster SPARC reboot times (U10), culminating in update U11.

From Solaris Express onward and continuing with Solaris versions from 11 forward, emphasis has been placed on cloud optimization, network virtualization capabilities, storage improvements, enhanced security features, and OpenStack integration.

Key developments include:

  • Introduction of the Image Packaging System (IPS) in Solaris Express for streamlined software management.
  • Solaris 11 delivered network virtualization tools such as virtual NICs and switches, Immutable Zones for enhanced security, delegated administration roles, improved security role management, ZFS shadow migration functionality, and UEFI boot support.
  • Later releases added Kernel Zones supporting live migration, built-in hypervisor functionality, software-defined networking enhancements, and automated patch deployment.
  • Solaris 11.4 raised minimum CPU requirements to UltraSPARC T4 or newer processors; introduced ZFS top-level device removal capabilities; adopted GNOME 3 desktop environment; enabled live reconfiguration of native zones; and provided integrated analytics dashboards.

A detailed overview of Solaris versions is accessible via specialized resources that chronicle its evolution aligned with enterprise computing requirements.

Development releases

Since its inception in the late '80s culminating with Solaris 2.0, the Solaris codebase has undergone continuous refinement. Each major edition—including Solaris 10—is derived from snapshots of this evolving source tree that are maintained until superseded by subsequent official releases.

After 2005, Sun developed the next-generation Solaris under the codename Nevada, leveraging the OpenSolaris codebase.

In 2003 Sun introduced Software Express for Solaris (later called Solaris Express), offering monthly binary builds from the development branch to allow early testing of new features and system stability prior to formal release cycles. This schedule later shifted to quarterly releases with official support under the name Solaris Express Developer Edition (SXDE).

In 2007 Sun initiated Project Indiana, targeting an open source binary distribution of OpenSolaris aimed at replacing SXDE. The first such distribution was released as OpenSolaris 2008.05.

The Solaris Express Community Edition (SXCE) provided biweekly updates catering to OpenSolaris developers until its discontinuation in January 2010 when users were encouraged to transition to OpenSolaris proper. Although download licenses restricted usage to personal or educational contexts only, installation agreements permitted commercial and production deployments.

SXCE concluded with build 130 while OpenSolaris ended at build 134 shortly thereafter. A planned OpenSolaris release based on build 134 scheduled for March 2010 never fully materialized despite package availability in repositories. Subsequently Oracle rebranded this binary distribution as Solaris 11 Express with revised licensing terms and issued build 151a as version 2010.11 in November 2010.

Active projects

See also: OpenSolaris § Derivatives, illumos § Current distributions, and Comparison of OpenSolaris distributions
  • illumos – An entirely open source fork initiated in 2010 by former Sun OpenSolaris engineers alongside Nexenta OS. Since OpenSolaris contained proprietary drivers and libraries licensed by Sun/Oracle, it was not fully open source.
  • OpenIndiana – An illumos-based distribution aiming "to become the de facto OpenSolaris distribution installed on production servers where security updates and bug fixes are provided free of charge."
  • SchilliX – The earliest LiveCD released following public availability of OpenSolaris code.
  • napp-it – A web-based ZFS storage appliance derived from Solaris and free forks like OmniOS offering both Free and Pro editions.
  • NexentaStor – Storage-focused operating system based on Nexenta OS.
  • SmartOS – Virtualization-centric derivative developed by MNX Solutions (formerly known as Joyent).

Discontinued projects

  • OpenSolaris – Originally launched by Sun Microsystems, discontinued following Oracle’s acquisition.
  • Nexenta OS (discontinued in 2012) – The first distro combining Ubuntu userland with a kernel derived from Solaris.
  • StormOS (discontinued in 2012) – Lightweight desktop OS based on Nexenta OS featuring Xfce desktop environment.
  • MartUX – The initial SPARC-targeted OpenSolaris distribution offered as a Live CD augmented with community software; later renamed OpenSXCE supporting both SPARC and Intel platforms after Oracle’s takeover.
  • MilaX – Minimalistic Live CD/USB distribution featuring a compact ~90 MB image size.
  • Dyson – Combines illumos kernel with GNU userland utilities and Debian packages; currently inactive.
  • EON ZFS Storage – Network-attached storage solution aimed at embedded systems.
  • Jaris OS – Customized distribution supporting Wine variant Madoris enabling native execution of Windows applications; "Jaris" stands for "Japanese Solaris."
  • OpenSXCE – An OpenSolaris distribution targeting x86-32/64-bit and SPARC architectures; initially based on OpenIndiana sources before migrating to illumos repositories forming the first SPARC-supported OpenIndiana variant.

Critical reception

  • Robert Lipschutz and Gregg Harrington from PC Magazine reviewed Solaris 9 in 2002:

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  • Lipschutz also evaluated Solaris 10:

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See also

External links

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