Solaris Express 10/06: The /dev name space supports multiple file system instances as needed. A global instance of the /dev file system is created automatically when the system is booted. Subsequent /dev instances are created and mounted when needed, such as when devices are added to a non-global zone. When a non-global zone is shutdown, the available /dev instance is unmounted and unavailable.
In addition, device configuration is improved in the following ways:
Reconfiguration boot is eliminated – In previous Solaris releases, a reconfiguration boot was needed if you connected a device to a system that is powered off.
In this Solaris release, performing a reconfiguration boot is unnecessary when attaching devices to a system that is powered off. Newly attached devices are automatically recognized and the appropriate device links are created when the system is rebooted.
For more information, see dev(7FS).
Zone device support is simplified – As described above, device support for Solaris zones is enhanced by providing specific instances of the /dev directory for non-global zones. In addition, zones are no longer dependent upon the devfsadm daemon for reconfiguration of devices within a zone.
Pseudo device creation is improved – In this Solaris release, the content of the /dev/pts directory is created on demand in the global /dev name space as well as a/dev instance when needed in a non-global zone. In addition, the ptys links are only visible in the global zone or the non-global zone from which they are allocated.
For more information, see grantpt(3C).
For more information about device configuration, see Managing Devices in the Solaris OS.