This is a list of non-trivial Solaris commands and can be used as a cheat sheet or link collection. If you find errors or want to add something please post a comment below!

Debugging

  • mdb - Analysing core files: 
    $ mdb core.xxxx        # Open core file
> ::status             # Print core summary

> ::stacks             # Backtrace
> ::stacks -v          # Backtrace verbose

> ::quit
  • Changing Solaris Kernel Parameters: 
    # mdb -kw
> maxusers/W 500
> $q
  • Library Dependencies of a running process: 
    pldd <pid>
  • Details of Memory Usage - pmap: 
    # pmap 19463
19463:  -sh
08047000       4K rw---    [ stack ]
08050000      76K r-x--  /sbin/sh
08073000       4K rw---  /sbin/sh
08074000      16K rw---    [ heap ]
FEE60000      24K r-x--  /lib/libgen.so.1
FEE76000       4K rw---  /lib/libgen.so.1
FEE80000    1072K r-x--  /lib/libc.so.1
FEF90000      24K rwx--    [ anon ]
FEF9C000      32K rw---  /lib/libc.so.1
FEFA4000       8K rw---  /lib/libc.so.1
FEFC4000     156K r-x--  /lib/ld.so.1
FEFF0000       4K rwx--    [ anon ]
FEFF7000       4K rwxs-    [ anon ]
FEFFB000       8K rwx--  /lib/ld.so.1
FEFFD000       4K rwx--  /lib/ld.so.1
 total      1440K
  • kstat API: Accessing Solaris kernel statistics using C-API
  • infocmp - Compare terminal settings: This is not Solaris specific, but you need it quite often. 
    infocmp -L
  • DTraceToolkit: Useful dtrace scripts for all types of debugging tasks.
  • How to kill a Solaris machine

Network

  • snoop vs. tcpdump: How to use snoop: 
    snoop -v -d qfe0 -x0 host 192.168.1.87
snoop -v -d qfe0 -x0 port 22
  • Show installed NIcs: 
    dladm show-dev 
dladm show-link
  • iSCSI on Solaris
  • Find unknown NIC: When you do not know the network interface name and don't want to guess: simple plumb all unplumbed NICs with 
    ifconfig plumb -a

Legacy

  • Extend 256 file descriptor limit for 32bit binaries: This requires preloading a helper library 
    % ulimit -n 256

% echo 'rlim_fd_max/D' | mdb -k | awk '{ print $2 }'  # determine allowed maximum
65536

% ulimit -n 65536

% export LD_PRELOAD_32=/usr/lib/extendedFILE.so.1
  • Determine if Solaris is 32 or 64 bit: 
    isainfo -b

Monitoring

  • SEtoolkit: Performance data gathering script collection based on orcallator.
  • Orcallator: Provides a variety of Solaris specific probes.
  • NICstat: Source (C) for a monitoring NICs in Solaris. vmstat/iostat like command line client.
  • Munin on Solaris

Package Installation

  • Resolve File to Package: 
    pkgchk -l -p /usr/bin/ls

Service Management

  • svcs - List Service Infos 
    svcs -a              # List all installed services and their current state
svcs -d <service>    # List all dependencies of a service
svcs -D <service>    # List who is depending on a service
svcs -xv             # List why something is failed
  • svcadm - Control Services
    svcadm enable <service>
svcadm disable <service>
svcadm refresh <service>    # like init reload
svcadm restart <service>

svcadm clear <service>      # Clear errors: try starting again...

General

  • Jumpstart HowTo
  • SUNWdhcs DHCPd Setup
  • Sun Packaging Guide
  • Solaris Event Notification API
  • Suns OpenBoot PROM reference manual
  • Solaris IPv6 Administration Guide
  • ALOM/iLOM - Get OS Console: 
    start /SP/console
    If the console is already in use you can kill it with 
    stop /SP/console
  • ALOM - Set/Get Infos from CLI: When you want to fetch infos or change settings from a running system (e.g. from scripts) you can use the scadm (or rscadm) command. Examples: 
    # Show log
scadm loghistory

# Send a normal or critical console message
scadm send_event "Important"
scadm send_event -c "Critical!"

# Dump all or single settings
scadm show 
scadm show sc_customerinfo
  • Dump HW Infos: 
    prtconf -v
  • ZFS Cheat Sheet: 
    # Analysis
zpool list             # List pools
zpool status -v        # Tree like summary of all disks
zpool iostat 1         # iostat for all ZFS pools
zpool history          # Show recent commands

# Handling properties
zfs get all z0
zfs get all z0/data
zfs set sharenfs=on z0/data
zfs set sharesmb=on z0/data
zfs set compression=on z0/data

# Mounting 
zfs mount               # List all ZFS mount points
zfs set mountpoint=/export/data z0/data
zfs mount /export/data
zfs unmount /export/data

# NFS Shares
zfs set sharenfs=on z1/backup/mydata         # Enable as NFS share
zfs get sharenfs z1/backup/mydata            # List share options
zfs sharenfs="<options>" z1/backup/mydata    # Overwrite share options

# Create and load snapshots
zfs snapshot z0/[email protected]
zfs rollback z0/[email protected]