VERITAS File System release 3.4 operates on Solaris 8 in 32-bit and 64-bit mode.

3.4

2.6, 7, and 8

VRTSvxfs

VERITAS File System software and manual pages

VRTSfsdoc

VERITAS File System documentation

During installation, you can install the PostScript, PDF, or
both versions of the documents. If you do not want these
documents online, then do not install this package.

VRTSlic

VERITAS product licensing facility

This package must be installed to activate all VxFS
licensable features. This package contains the vxlicense
command and manual page.
Note: In prior distributions of the VxFS software, the
licensing facility was included in the VRTSvxfs package.

VERITAS QuickLog is an optionally licensable feature that enhances file system

performance. Although QuickLog can improve file system performance, VxFS does
not require QuickLog to operate effectively.
VERITAS Quick I/O for Databases (referred to as Quick I/O) enables applications to
access preallocated VxFS files as raw character devices.
You can view installed license key information by using the vxlicense command.
vxlicense -p
You can add a license key after installation using the vxlicense command.
vxlicense -c
To install the VERITAS File System licensing facility, software, and documentation
packages, you type:
# pkgadd -d /cdrom / CD_nam e /pkgs VRTSlic VRTSvxfs VRTSfsdoc
You must specify the VRTSlic package before the other packages on the command
line. The documentation package, VRTSfsdoc, is optional.
To list all installed packages on the system:
# pkginfo
To restrict the list to all installed VERITAS packages:
# pkginfo | grep VRTS

You must uninstall any previous version of the VRTSvxfs package before installing a
new version.
To use the pkgrm command, you type pkgrm followed by the packages to be
removed. You specify the optional packages before the VRTSvxfs package on the
command line.
# pkgrm VRTSqio VRTSqlog VRTSfsdoc VRTSvxfs
A type-independent file system is a file system that provides a common interface for
interacting with different types of file systems. In Solaris, the type-independent file
system is called Virtual File System (VFS).
A type-dependent file system is a file system that has a specific association with a
particular storage media device, network, or memory space. Examples of typedependent file systems include:

UNIX File System (UFS): UFS is the default disk-based file system for
Solaris.
VERITAS File System (VxFS): VxFS is a disk-based file system designed to
provide high performance, availability, data integrity, and integrated online
administration.
High Sierra File System (HSFS): HSFS was designed as the first CD-ROM
file system and is an example of a read-only file system.
Network File System (NFS): NFS is the default distributed file system for
Solaris, which means that it resides on one system and can be shared and
accessed by other systems across a network.
Process File System (PROCFS): PROCFS provides an access point or simple
reference to processes and resides in system memory.

You can administer a VERITAS file system from the command line by using VxFSspecific commands. VxFS-specific commands are stored in:

/opt/VRTSvxfs/sbin
/usr/lib/fs/vxfs

/etc/fs/vxfs

VERITAS-specific commands are now installed in the /opt/VRTSvxfs/sbin directory.

If you do not use the switchout mechanism -F vxfs, then the file system type is
taken from the default specified in the /etc/default/fs.
1. creates a VERITAS file system on the VxVM volume datavol.
# m kfs -F vxfs /dev/vx/rdsk/datadg/datavol
Option
N

Description
Reports the same structural information about the file
system as if it had actually been created, without actually
creating the file system

largefiles Enables the creation of files 2 gigabytes or larger

version
Specifies the VxFS file system layout version number

bsize

Sets the logical block size in bytes for files on the file
system

logsize

Specifies the number of blocks to allocate for the logging

area

Default block sizes are:

File System Size

Default Block Size

Less than 8 gigabytes

1024 bytes

Between 8 and 16 gigabytes

2048 bytes

Between 16 and 32 gigabytes 4096 bytes

Greater than 32 gigabytes

8192 bytes

Overall file system performance can be improved or degraded by changing the block
size. In most cases, you do not need to specify a block size when creating a file
system. However, for large file systems with relatively few files, the system
administrator may want to experiment with larger block sizes.
For all file system layouts, the default log size is 1024 file system blocks for file
systems larger than 512 MB, and 512 blocks for file systems smaller than 512 MB.
A large log provides better performance on metadata-intensive workloads. For
example, setting a log size larger than the default log size may be beneficial if you
have NFS-intensive workloads or applications that send intensive writes requiring
more space to hold transactions.
A small log uses less space on the disk and leaves more room for file data. For
example, setting a log size smaller than the default log size may be appropriate for a
small floppy device. On small systems, you should ensure that the log size is not
greater than half the available swap space.
To mount a VERITAS file system on the volume datavol at the mount point
/mydata, you type:
# m ount -F vxfs /dev/vx/dsk/datadg/datavol /m ydata
To see the status of mounted file systems, you type:
# m ount -v
This shows the file system type and mount options for all mounted file systems. The
-v option specifies verbose mode.
To display a list of mounted file systems in the /etc/vfstab format, you use the
command:
# m ount -p

To mount all file systems listed in the /etc/vfstab file, you use the -a option:
# m ount -a
For example, to unmount all mounted file systems, you type:
# um ount -a
To perform a forced unmount of the VERITAS file system mounted at /mydata, you
type:
# um ount -o force /m ydata
If you do not know the file system type of a particular file system, you can determine
the file system type by using the fstyp command.
To report the number of free disk blocks and inodes for a VxFS File System, you use
the df command.
Option Description
-a
Reports on all file systems
-b

Prints the total number of kilobytes free

-e

Prints only the number of files free

-g

Prints detailed information about a file system

-k

Prints one line of information for each specified file system

-l

Reports only on local file systems

-n

Prints a list of mounted file system types

-o

Specifies file system type-specific options

-t

Prints full listings with totals

-V

Echoes the complete set of file system specific command

lines, but does not execute them (Used to verify and
validate the command line)

You use the VxFS-specific version of the fsck command to check the consistency of
and repair a VERITAS file system.
To check file system consistency by using the intent log for the VERITAS file system
on the volume datavol, you type:
# fsck -F vxfs /dev/vx/rdsk/datadg/datavol
1. Before you resize a VERITAS file system, you should verify the available free
space of the underlying device.
o

Use prtvtoc or format to check on the size of disk partitions.

1. You can resize the file system by using the fsadm command or the vxresize
command.
o
o

If you use the fsadm command, you also need to resize the underlying
volume.
If you use the vxresize command, the volume and file system are
resized at the same time.

You resize a VERITAS File System by using the fsadm command. The fsadm
command performs a variety of online administration functions on VERITAS File
Systems, including resizing, extent reorganization, directory reorganization, and
querying or changing the largefiles flag. The mkfs and fsadm are the two
commands to adjust the largefiles.

1. Expand the file system using the fsadm command:

# fsadm -F vxfs -b 1024000 -r /dev/vx/rdsk/datadg/datavol/datavol
You can use the vxdump command to implement incremental file system dump levels.
The vxdump command copies to magnetic tape all the files in the VERITAS file system
that changed after a particular date.
Option
- number

Use
Indicates a dump level in the range 0 to 9
(The option -0 dumps the entire file system.)

-b blocking_factor

Sets a blocking factor (Default is 63.)

-B records

Sets the number of logical records per volume

(The vxdump logical record size is 1024 bytes.)

-c

Uses a cartridge

-d density

Sets tape density, which is used to calculate the

amount of tape used per reel

-f filename

Dumps to a specific file

-l

Ensures that autoloading tape drives have time

to load a new tape if the end of the tape is
reached

-n

Notifies all users in the group operator whenever

vxdump requires operator attention

-s size

Specifies size of the dump

-t tracks

Specifies number of tracks for a cartridge

(Default is 9.)

-T date

Specifies a starting time for the dump to override

the time determined in the /etc/dumpdates file

-u

Writes dump start dates to file /etc/dumpdates

-w

Prints file systems that need to be dumped

-W

Prints recent dump dates and levels

You can use the vxrestore command to restore files previously copied to tape by
the vxdump command.
Option

Use

-b

Specifies tape block size in kilobytes

-e

Handles extent attribute information

-f

Specifies the name of the archive other than

the default

-h

Extracts the directory rather than the files

-i

Enables interactive interface

-m

Extracts by inode numbers rather than

filename

-r

Restores into current directory

-R

Resumes a full restore

-s number

Specifies the dump file number

-t

Lists names of files if they occur on the tape

-v

Specifies verbose output

-x

Extracts named files from the tape

-y

Continues operation despite errors

A snapshot file system is an image of a mounted file system that is an exact readonly copy of the file system at a certain point in time.
A snapshot file system acts as a database "before-image" log. When blocks are
changed in the original file system, the original version of the blocks is copied to the
snapshot.
VERITAS file system is located on the device /dev/dsk/c0t6d0s2. To create a
snapshot of this file system on /dev/dsk/c0t5d0s2 that is 32,768 sectors in size and
mount it at /snapmount, you type:
# m ount -F vxfs -o snapof=/dev/dsk/c0t6d0s2,
snapsize=32768 /dev/dsk/c0t5d0s2 /snapm ount
A snapshot file system must be at least five percent of the size of the snapped file
system.
You can have multiple snapshots of a single file system made at different times.
However, it is not possible to make a snapshot of a snapshot.
Storage checkpoints are a feature of the VERITAS File System (VxFS) that you can
use to quickly create a persistent image of a file system at an exact point in time.
Characteristic Storage Checkpoints

File System Snapshots

Data
persistency

Transient; lost if the

system is rebooted

Persistent; available after a

reboot or system crash

Data storage

Uses the free pool from the

primary file system

Requires a separate
storage pool for saving
before images

Backup

Maintains relationship with

Only allows full backups,
other checkpoints; allows the although it keeps track of
backup process to extract
changed blocks
only changed blocks

I/O and storage Only the latest checkpoint

efficiency
saves before images;
reduces I/O and storage

Continually saves before

images

Administration

Is a read-only file system

that is administered like
a file system

Has more administrative

features; coordinates with
Oracle states; can be
administered in multiples;
can be removed or rolled
back

To create a storage checkpoint, you use the command:

fsckptadm [-nruv] create ckpt_nam e m ount_point
In the syntax:

-n sets the nodata attribute, creating a checkpoint that contains no file data.
-r sets the remove attribute on a checkpoint at creation time. This ensures
the checkpoint is not automatically deleted under certain conditions.
-u sets the nomount attribute of a checkpoint when it is created, making the
checkpoint unmountable.
-v specifies verbose mode, which displays extensive statistical information.

To access a storage checkpoint, you mount the checkpoint using the mount option:
o ckpt= ckpt_nam e
Quotas are beneficial in environments in which:

Users are not personally accountable to the organization administering the

system.
The organization requires the rationing of access to storage resources.

Each quota consists of the following types of limits for each resource:

Hard limit
The hard limit represents an absolute limit on files or data blocks. The user
can never exceed the hard limit under any circumstances.

Soft limit

The soft limit is a flexible limit on files or data blocks that can be exceeded for
a limited amount of time. This enables users to temporarily exceed limits as
long as they fall under those limits before the allotted time expires. The soft
limit must be lower than the hard limit.

Time limit
The time limit can be configured on a per-file system basis and applies only to
the soft quota limit. There are separate time limits for files and data blocks.
However, modified time limits apply to the entire file system and cannot be
set for an individual user. The default time limit is seven days.

A file named quotas must exist in the root directory of the file system for the quota
commands to work.
Command
Use
vxedquota Edit quota limits for users.
vxrepquota Display a summary of quotas and disk usage.
vxquot
Display a summary of ownership and usage.
vxquota
View quota limits and usage.
vxquotaon

Turn quotas on for a mounted VERITAS file system.

vxquotaoff Turn quotas off for a mounted VERITAS file system.

Traditional UNIX file protection enables you to specify read, write, and execute
permissions for three classes of users: the file owner, the file group, and other users.
An access control list (ACL) extends file protection by enabling you to define file
permissions for specific users and groups.
To set or modify an ACL for a file, you use the setfacl command.
setfacl [-r] -s acl_entries file
setfacl [-r] -m d acl_entries file
setfacl [-r] -f acl_file file

The -s option sets an ACL for a file. All old ACL entries are removed and
replaced with the new ACL. You must specify ACL entries for the file owner,
the file group, and others.
The -m option adds new ACL entries to a file or modifies existing entries to a
file. If an entry already exists, then the permissions you specify replace the
current permissions. If an entry does not exist, it is created.
You use the -d option to remove an ACL entry for a user.
You use the -f option to set an ACL for a file with ACL entries contained in
the named file acl_file. If you use - for the acl_file, then standard input
is used to set the ACL for the file.
You use the -r option to recalculate the permissions for the ACL mask entry.
You can use the character # in an ACL file to indicate a comment. All
characters from # to the end of the line are ignored.

Add one ACL entry to a file called myfile and give user bob read permission
only:
# setfacl -m user:bob:r-- m yfile

Delete the ACL entry for the user scott from the file myfile:
# setfacl -d user:scott m yfile

If you want to verify that an ACL was set for a file or to check if a file has an
associated ACL, you use the getfacl command.