Using Power Management

Preface

The Using Power ManagementTM manual describes how to use software provided with the SolarisTM release to configure and operate desktop computers to conserve energy. System power management is not intended for use on server computers, though managing power for a display connected to a computer used as a server may be of value.

This manual describes use of these features in terms of how they can be applied to workstations produced by Sun MicrosystemsTM, Inc. If you are using this Solaris release on hardware supplied by another manufacturer, refer to information sources for those products to determine whether this Power Management software can be used with your hardware, and which distinctions within this manual (such as between machines with sun4m and sun4u architectures) apply to your hardware.

The Solaris 2.6 release is the first time Power ManagementTM software is provided as an integral part of the Solaris operating environment.

Who Should Use This Book

This manual is intended for anyone wanting to use Power Management software to reduce the power used by a SPARC workstation.


Note -

The features described in this manual are in effect only for SPARC workstations running this Solaris release.


How This Book Is Organized

This manual contains the following chapters and appendixes:

Chapter 1, Introduction to Power Management, describes the value of reducing power consumption through Power Management features and provides an overview of how those features can be used.

Chapter 2, Power Managing Displays, describes how to use desktop software features to turn off power to the display monitor when that device isn't in use.

Chapter 3, Managing System Power, describes the features that enable a desktop system to power off automatically when not in use. This power saving method is made practical by using the Suspend-Resume feature, which can record the system's current state when it is powered down, and then return it to that state when powered up again.

Appendix A, Configuring Power Management Using the Command Line, describes a way to configure Power Management features through the pmconfig command and the power.conf file. This appendix also explains how to change the idleness definition by editing the power.conf file.

Appendix B, Troubleshooting, explains how to respond to various problems and error messages related to Power Management software.

Related Books

If you have a SPARCstationTM VoyagerTM system, there are some special power management features for that hardware. For information about those features, see Platform Notes: SPARCstation Voyager Software Guide, which is available in the Solaris 2.6 on Sun Hardware AnswerBook supplied by Sun Microsystems Computer Company.

Developers of products that will use Power Management features should refer to the Writing Device Drivers manual.

Typographic Conventions

Table P-1 Typographic Conventions

Typeface or Symbol 

Meaning 

Examples 

AaBbCc123

The names of commands, files, and directories; on-screen computer output. 

 

Edit your .login file.

Use ls -a to list all files.

% You have mail.

AaBbCc123

What you type, when contrasted with on-screen computer output. 

 

% su

Password:

AaBbCc123

Book titles, new words or terms, words to be emphasized. 

Command-line variable; replace with a real name or value. 

Read Chapter 6 in the User's Guide.

These are called class options.

You must be root to do this.

To delete a file, type rm filename.

Shell Prompts

Table P-2 Shell Prompts

Shell 

Prompt 

C shell  

machine_name%

C shell superuser  

machine_name#

Bourne shell and Korn shell  

$

Bourne shell and Korn shell superuser  

#

Ordering Sun Documents

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Table P-3 SunExpress Contact Information

Country 

Telephone 

Fax 

Belgium 

02-720-09-09 

02-725-88-50 

Canada 

1-800-873-7869 

1-800-944-0661 

France 

0800-90-61-57 

0800-90-61-58 

Germany 

01-30-81-61-91 

01-30-81-61-92 

Holland 

06-022-34-45 

06-022-34-46 

Japan 

0120-33-9096 

0120-33-9097 

Luxembourg 

32-2-720-09-09 

32-2-725-88-50 

Sweden 

020-79-57-26 

020-79-57-27 

Switzerland 

0800-55-19-26 

0800-55-19-27 

United Kingdom 

0800-89-88-88 

0800-89-88-87 

United States 

1-800-873-7869 

1-800-944-0661 

World Wide Web: http://www.sun.com/sunexpress/