Volume Management Creates Two Sets of Symbolic Links

As an additional convenience, Volume Management creates two separate sets of symbolic links:

• One for file system access

• One for raw device access

Symbolic Links for File System Access

The symbolic links for file system access simply link the directories /floppy/floppy0 and /cdrom/cdrom0 to the diskette inserted into the first diskette drive and the CD inserted into the first CD-ROM drive:

/floppy/floppy0 --> /floppy/name --> /vol/dev/diskette0/name

/cdrom/cdrom0 --> /cdrom/cd-name --> /vol/dev/dsk/c0t6d0/cd-name

These links enable you to access floppies and CDs without knowing their names. You can use the link names, floppy0 or cdrom0, instead.

Diskettes and CDs inserted into subsequent drives would follow the naming conventions summarized in Table 11-3.

Symbolic Links for Raw Device Access

To make raw device access more convenient, Volume Management creates the aliases directory, under /vol/dev:

Beneath the aliases directory, Volume Management creates a set of symbolic links similar to those used for block access. In other words, for character access, these directories are equivalent:

/vol/dev/aliases/floppy0 --> /vol/dev/rdiskette0/diskette-name

/vol/dev/aliases/cdrom0 --> /vol/dev/rdsk/c0t6d0/cd-name

Like the symbolic links for file system access, the purpose of these links is to enable you to access a raw-character diskette or CD without knowing its name; in other words, by using the /vol/dev/aliases/floppy0 and /vol/dev/aliases/cdrom0 link names.

The example above shows only one symbolic link for diskettes and one for CDs. If your system had two diskettes or two CDs, there would be one symbolic link for each: