I'm trying to set up something similar to Docker for deploying a spring application in Solaris. I thought of Solaris zones but it doesn't seem to be that simple or I'm having a difficult time wrapping my head around it.
I welcome helpful suggestions, thanks.
I would suggest two options:
1) Create a zone with 'minimal-server' pack installed. Install your application and all dependencies. Create a Unified Archive from that zone. Create a profile for the new zone (with user/password, IP, hostname, etc. -- to avoid doing that at the first boot). Install the zone from that unified archive using the profile you've just created. It's pretty fast--with 'minimal-server' it took me 2-2.5 minutes in VirtualBox. Will be even faster on bare metal.
2) Create an IPS package from your app, publish it on the local repository. Create a manifest where you list 'minimal-server', dependencies and your application package. Install the zone with that manifest and profile (like in the first method).
First method is faster and easier, but it's not very flexible. If you want to change your app, you have to re-create your archive. Second method is more flexible (when you update your app, you just repackage it and publish it one the repository), but it could take longer to install (because individual packages take longer to install than a single archive stream). Please let me know if you need more detailed instructions and links to the docs.