Abstract Tuning the kernel isn't easy. Some tunables are well known and easy to explain. Others are more complex, or change from one release to the next.
Administrators often choose settings based on out of date folklore.
This column identifies and explains some of the variables that are safe to tune. It also compares Solaris tunables with those in other versions of Unix in order to identify the ones that size automatically in Solaris 2 and therefore don't need manual tuning. This is a common question that doesn't have an easy answer. Understanding the distinction between interfaces, implementations, and behaviors is fundamental and it's as good a starting point as any. Interfaces Interfaces are designed to stay the same over many releases of the product.