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System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems
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Document Information

Preface

1.  Managing Removable Media (Overview)

2.  Managing Removable Media (Tasks)

3.  Accessing Removable Media (Tasks)

4.  Writing CDs and DVDs (Tasks)

5.  Managing Devices (Overview/Tasks)

6.  Dynamically Configuring Devices (Tasks)

7.  Using USB Devices (Overview)

8.  Using USB Devices (Tasks)

9.  Using InfiniBand Devices (Overview/Tasks)

10.  Managing Disks (Overview)

11.  Administering Disks (Tasks)

12.  SPARC: Adding a Disk (Tasks)

13.  x86: Adding a Disk (Tasks)

14.  Configuring Oracle Solaris iSCSI Targets and Initiators (Tasks)

15.  The format Utility (Reference)

16.  Managing File Systems (Overview)

17.  Creating ZFS, UFS, TMPFS, and LOFS File Systems (Tasks)

18.  Mounting and Unmounting File Systems (Tasks)

19.  Using The CacheFS File System (Tasks)

20.  Configuring Additional Swap Space (Tasks)

About Swap Space

Swap Space and Virtual Memory

Swap Space and the TMPFS File System

Swap Space as a Dump Device

Swap Space and Dynamic Reconfiguration

Configuring Swap Space in a SAN Environment

How Do I Know If I Need More Swap Space?

Swap-Related Error Messages

TMPFS-Related Error Messages

How Swap Space Is Allocated

Swap Areas and the /etc/vfstab File

Planning for Swap Space

Allocating Swap Space for UFS-Based Systems

Allocating Swap Space for ZFS-Based Systems

Monitoring Swap Resources

Adding More Swap Space

Creating a Swap File in a UFS Root Environment

mkfile Command

How to Create a Swap File and Make It Available in UFS Root Environment

Adding or Changing Swap Space in an Oracle Solaris ZFS Root Environment

How to Add Swap Space in an Oracle Solaris ZFS Root Environment

Removing a Swap File From Use

How to Remove Unneeded Swap Space

21.  Checking UFS File System Consistency (Tasks)

22.  UFS File System (Reference)

23.  Backing Up and Restoring UFS File Systems (Overview)

24.  Backing Up UFS Files and File Systems (Tasks)

25.  Using UFS Snapshots (Tasks)

26.  Restoring UFS Files and File Systems (Tasks)

27.  UFS Backup and Restore Commands (Reference)

28.  Copying UFS Files and File Systems (Tasks)

29.  Managing Tape Drives (Tasks)

Index

How Swap Space Is Allocated

Initially, swap space is allocated as part of the Solaris installation process. If you use the installation program's automatic layout of disk slices and do not manually change the size of the swap slice, the Solaris installation program allocates a default swap area of 512 MB for a UFS root environment. In a ZFS root environment, the default swap size is generally in the 512 MB to 2 GB range.

For general guidelines on allocating swap space, see Planning for Swap Space.

You can allocate additional swap space to the system by creating a swap file in a UFS root environment. Swap files are not supported in a ZFS root environment. For information about creating a swap file, see Adding More Swap Space.

Swap Areas and the /etc/vfstab File

After the system is installed, swap slices and swap files are listed in the /etc/vfstab file. They are activated by the /sbin/swapadd script when the system is booted.

An entry for a swap device in the /etc/vfstab file contains the following:

The file system that contains a swap file must be mounted before the swap file is activated. So, in the /etc/vfstab file, ensure that the entry that mounts the file system comes before the entry that activates the swap file.