System Power Management

The entire system can power down when it isn't needed and then return to the same working state when you power up the system again. Shut down and start up can happen automatically or at any time you choose. The steps for doing this are explained in Chapter 3, Managing System Power.

System Power Management should not be used on systems that do work that should not be interrupted. Conditions where you should choose to not use Power Management are described in Chapter 3, Managing System Power.

The dtpower Program

The Power Management program called dtpower launches a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows you to designate periods of inactivity after which the system will shut down. You can also use this tool to set the time of day to activate the automatic shutdown (called AutoShutdown); for example, if you want the AutoShutdown feature to activate only after your regular work hours.

On sun4u-architecture workstations, you can also activate the AutoWakeup feature of dtpower, which will power on the system at a specific time following an AutoShutdown.

The Suspend-Resume Feature

Suspend-Resume is a time-saving feature that allows you to power cycle your system without losing the state of your current activities. Your workspace and files are preserved when the system is powered off so that they are restored to the same state when the system is powered on.

For example, if you are in the middle of revising a document when you decide to leave, you can power off your system using the Suspend feature and your work session is automatically saved. The next time you power on the system, the Resume feature causes your work to appear in the same state as before

Suspend-Resume is used automatically when the Power Management software performs AutoShutdown or AutoWakeup of your workstation. You also can use the keyboard to Suspend or Resume your system whenever you choose.