Preface

Using Power Management describes how to configure and operate desktop computers to conserve energy. Power Management(TM) software is provided with this Solaris release. Software for managing system power is not intended for use on server computers; however, techniques described in this manual for managing power for a display connected to a server computer may be of value.

This manual describes how to use Power Management features on workstations produced by Sun Microsystems(TM), 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. Also refer to your hardware manufacturer's documentation to determine which distinctions within this manual (such as between machines with sun4m and sun4u architectures) apply to your hardware.

The Solaris 2.6 release was the first time Power Management(TM) software was provided as an integral part of the Solaris operating environment.

Who Should Use This Book

This manual is intended for users and administrators who want to reduce the amount of energy consumed by their SPARC workstation..

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 and provides an overview of how Power Management features can help achieve that goal.

Chapter 2, Managing Monitor Power describes how to use software features to turn off power to a monitor when that device is not in use.

Chapter 3, Managing System Power describes the features of the dtpower program that enable a desktop system to power off automatically when not in use and power on again automatically at a time you choose. This chapter describes additional ways to use the Suspend-Resume feature that saves your system state when you power down and resumes in the save state.

Appendix A, Configuring Power Management Using the Command Line describes how 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 Documentation

Information about Power Management features for certain Sun hardware products is provided in the Sun Hardware Platform Guide for this Solaris release.

If you have a SPARCstation(TM) Voyager(TM) 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 2.7 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.