Choosing a Logging Method

UFS logging and transactional volumes provide the same capability of keeping a log of file system information. The only significant differences between the two methods are the following:

• Transactional volumes can write log information onto physically separate devices, while UFS logging combines logs and file systems on the same volume.

• UFS logging offers superior performance to transactional volumes in all cases.

• UFS logging allows logging of all UFS file systems, including root (/), while transactional volumes cannot log the root (/) file system.

Transactional volumes are scheduled to be removed from the Solaris operating environment in an upcoming Solaris release. UFS logging, available since the Solaris 8 release, provides the same capabilities but superior performance, as well as lower system administration requirements and overhead. These benefits provide a clear choice for optimal performance and capabilities.

To enable UFS logging, use the mount_ufs -logging option on the file system, or add logging to the mount options for the file system in the /etc/vfstab file. For more information about mounting file systems with UFS logging enabled, see “Mounting and Unmounting File Systems (Tasks)” in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration and the mount_ufs(1M) man page.

To learn more about using transactional volumes, continue reading this document.

If you are not currently logging UFS file systems but want to use this feature, choose UFS logging, rather than transactional volumes.