OpenSolaris VPS

Here is an interesting site http://internetpulse.com, you can check the general network performance between the big network providers.

Here is a quick list of the recent software releases that we think are pretty big in their area. If we missed something else, be sure to let us know.

JDK 1.6.0u10: faster startup, better desktop integration
OpenOffice 3: MS office 2007 compatible, a whole load of other improvements
OpenSolaris 2008.11: Time Slider, Great new desktop software (Songbird)
Python 3: 3 years in the making, long standing bugs fixed, better unicode support
Mysql 5.1: Big performance improvements

All of them have had previous beta or release candidates but now that they are all in their final release stage, you can use it in production!

There are a few different Solaris distributions out there produced both by Sun and the Open source community. Here is a quick run down on the differences.

The OS source code is distributed at http://opensolaris.org.

Bleeding Edge - Community/Developer

OpenSolaris 2008.11 (Indiana releases)

* Based on Open Solaris
* This comes with a live CD
* It is released in a 6 month cycle with 18 month support from Sun
* Uses IPS packaging/repo
* Free

Sun Support - Commercial

Solaris 10 10/08

* Six month updates - latest version: Solaris 10 u6
* SPARC and x86 platforms
* SRv4 packaging/repo
* Free

SXCE (Nevada releases)

* Based on Open Solaris
* Slated to become the next version of Solaris
* Updates available twice per month
* Has some additional features that Sun does not release to the Open Source community
* Srv4 packaging/repo
* Sun support not available
* Free

There are also several other Open Solaris distributions. One of which is NexentaOS, a OpenSolaris based OS topped with GNU software.

Here's is what we use for running OpenDS on a Solaris based VPS server -- on our FreeLDAP.org web site. You can make some minor adjustments to it to make it run as a non-root user.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE service_bundle SYSTEM "/usr/share/lib/xml/dtd/service_bundle.dtd.1">
 
<service_bundle type='manifest' name='opends'>
 
<service
        name='network/ldap/opends'
        type='service'
        version='1'>
 
        <create_default_instance enabled='false' />
 
        <single_instance />
 
     	<!-- 
     	Wait for network interfaces to be initialized. 
     	--> 
     	<dependency 
       	   name='network' 
       	   grouping='require_all' 
       	   restart_on='none' 
       	   type='service'> 
       	   <service_fmri value='svc:/milestone/network:default' /> 
     	</dependency> 

     	<!-- 
       	   Wait for all local filesystems to be mounted. 
     	--> 
     	<dependency 
       	   name='filesystem-local' 
       	   grouping='require_all' 
       	   restart_on='none' 
       	   type='service'> 
     	   <service_fmri value='svc:/system/filesystem/local:default' /> 
     	</dependency>

    	<method_context>
       	 <method_environment>
       	     <envvar name='OPENDS_JAVA_HOME' value='/usr/jdk/latest' />
       	     <envvar name='OPENDS_JAVA_ARGS' value='-d32 -XX: UseParallelOldGC' />
       	 </method_environment>
    	</method_context>

 
        <exec_method
            type='method'
            name='start'
            exec='/opt/OpenDS/bin/start-ds'
            timeout_seconds='60'>
	</exec_method>
 
        <exec_method
            type='method'
            name='stop'
            exec='/opt/OpenDS/bin/stop-ds'
            timeout_seconds='60' />
 
        <template>
                <common_name>
                        <loctext xml:lang='C'>
                        OpenDS LDAP server
                        </loctext>
                </common_name>
        </template>
</service>
 
</service_bundle>

A VPS is a virtual server. You get root, you get your own dedicated server. You can run as many VPS servers as the physical system resources allow for.

Looking at google and some searches for "Solaris VPS", we've found several companies using the name Solaris VPS but when they are not a true virtual private server, as described above.

Verio shows it, but it is hardly a VPS. You don't get root. Why do they only list some specific software. On a true VPS, you can run whatever you want. You are not limited to any set software. The price tag on them is also a joke. Don't spend that much on a VPS when you are not even getting the full power of a true VPS provider like Entic's Solaris VPS.

Here is another one, and another.

Be sure you are getting what you need -- a full UNIX based OS, with root, with full permissions to run whatever you want.