Device Naming Enhancements

This device management enhancement is new in the Solaris Express 10/06 release.

Starting with this release, the /dev name space supports multiple file system instances as needed. When the system is booted, a global instance of the /dev file system is created automatically. Subsequent /dev instances are created and mounted when needed. For example, when devices are added to a non-global zone. When a non-global zone is shut down, the available /dev instance is unmounted and unavailable.

In addition, device configuration is improved in the following ways:

• Reconfiguration boot is eliminated. In release prior to Solaris Express 10/06, a reconfiguration boot was needed if you connected a device to a system that is powered off.

  Starting with this release, you do not need to perform a reconfiguration boot when attaching devices to a system that is powered off. When you reboot the system, the system automatically recognizes newly attached devices and creates the appropriate links.

  For more information, see the devfs(7FS) man page.

• 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 on the devfsadm daemon for reconfiguration of devices within a zone.

• Pseudo device creation is improved. Starting with this release, the content of the /dev/pts directory is created on demand in the global /dev name space and in the /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 the grantpt(3C) man page.