Solaris: PostgreSQL Database Does Not Start After Installation if Shared Memory Is Not Available (6562505)

If, after you install the Sun N1 Service Provisioning System, the system shared memory is not available, the PostgreSQL database does not start successfully. An error message similar to the following is displayed.

FATAL:  could not create shared memory segment: Invalid argument
DETAIL:  Failed system call was shmget(key=9001001, size=427900928, 03600).
HINT:  This error usually means that PostgreSQL's request for a shared memory segment 
exceeded your kernel's SHMMAX parameter.  You can either reduce the request size or 
reconfigure the kernel with larger SHMMAX.  To reduce the request size (currently 
427900928 bytes), reduce PostgreSQL's shared_buffers parameter (currently 51200) 
and/or its max_connections parameter (currently 52).
        If the request size is already small, it's possible that it is less than 
your kernel's SHMMIN parameter, in which case raising the request size or 
reconfiguring SHMMIN is called for.
        The PostgreSQL documentation contains more information about shared memory 
configuration.
Error! Failed to start the postgres database using pg_ctl!

Workaround: Choose the appropriate workaround.

• To avoid this issue, verify that your shared memory configuration satisfies the requirements in Chapter 2, System Requirements for the Sun N1 Service Provisioning System 6.0, in Sun N1 Service Provisioning System 6.0 Installation Guide

• If you encounter this issue, follow these steps.

  1. Check your system for memory intensive applications by typing the following command.

     # ps -o pmem,pid,fname -e | sort

     The output of this command displays applications that are using large amounts of shared memory on your system.

  2. If appropriate, stop those applications listed in the previous command.

  3. Remove the N1 SPS master server packages from the system.

  4. Restart the installation.