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I need to test a custom binary that was originally compiled for an earlier version of Solaris on Solaris 11.

Being poor, I don't have a spare SPARC server lying around on which I can install Solaris 11, so I will need to emulate one on x86, probably using QEMU, but if there are other tools I can use I'm open to suggestions. I can then use the emulated SPARC to run Solaris 11 (I hope). The specific processor I am interested in emulating is a T4.

This is similar to this old question below:

QEMU: Solaris 11 / Sparc64 Guest on Linux / X86-64 Host

It was closed for being too narrow, but I hope that fact that I'm interested in something similar might count in favour of keeping this question open, and possibly re-opening that one.

Update:

It worked, so Oracle's guarantee of 100% backwards compatibility for old Solaris binaries remains intact.

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  • You're going to try to deploy this old binary on a SPARC, but don't have a SPARC to test on? Where are you going to come up with the one to deploy on? Have you tried contacting a local university or sysadmin user group?
    – mfinni
    Mar 5, 2014 at 14:47
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    I'm expecting my employer to take delivery of a T4-4 server several months from now. It would be useful to be able to test the binary in advance so I can find out whether we need to make alternative arrangements.
    – user3490
    Mar 6, 2014 at 10:16
  • Do you have the source code? The reason for my question is that except for very, very, very special cases the C or C++ code for a Solaris SPARC vs a Solaris X86 application would be completely identical. So unless you are doing something very, very, very special you can build, compile and test your application on X86 (in e.g. VirtualBox) and then rather safely assume it will work on SPARC as well. I would still do a final verification on SPARC though, just in case your code has made implicit assumptions about endianess - which is the most common error programmers make.
    – unixhacker2010
    Mar 7, 2014 at 15:08
  • @unixhacker2010 - no, I don't think so, but thanks for the suggestion.
    – user3490
    Mar 7, 2014 at 21:38

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In theory, you could use QEMU... but it looks like it's only good for emulating a SPARCstation 5 running Solaris 2.5 or so. I can't find any reference to anyone having ever made it work as more than a novelty.

I doubt there's any way on earth you're going to get an x86 box to cost-effectively emulate a SPARC T4.

Your best bet—if you can't find someone willing to loan you a SPARC or a login on one—is probably to Google for hosting providers that offer Solaris SPARC hosting, or rent a SPARC.

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