NAME

Intro, intro − introduction to special files

DESCRIPTION

This section describes various special files that refer to specific hardware peripherals, and device drivers.  STREAMS (see intro(2)) software drivers, modules and the STREAMS-generic set of ioctl(2) system calls are also described.  The system provides drivers for a variety of hardware devices, such as disk, magnetic tapes, serial communication lines, mice and frame buffers, as well as virtual devices such as pseudo-terminals and windows. 

For hardware related files, the names of the entries are generally derived from names for the hardware, as opposed to the names of the special files themselves.  Characteristics of both the hardware device and the corresponding device driver are discussed where applicable. 

Disk device file names are in the following format:

/dev/{r}dsk/c#t#d#s#

where r indicates a raw interface to the disk, the c# indicates the controller number, #t indicates the SCSI target id, d# indicates the device attached to the controller and s# indicates the section number of the partitioned device. 

Protocols and Protocol Families

SunOS supports both socket-based and STREAMS-based network communications.  The Internet protocol family, described in inet(7), is the primary protocol family primary supported by SunOS, although the system can support a number of others.  The raw interface provides low-level services, such as packet fragmentation and reassembly, routing, addressing, and basic transport for socket-based implementations.  Facilities for communicating using an Internet-family protocol are generally accessed by specifying the AF_INET address family when binding a socket; see socket(3N) for details. 

Major protocols in the Internet family include:

• The Internet Protocol (IP) itself, which supports the universal datagram format, as described in ip(7).  This is the default protocol for SOCK_RAW type sockets within the AF_INET domain. 

• The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP); see tcp(7).  This is the default protocol for SOCK_STREAM type sockets. 

• The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP); see arp(7). 

• The Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP); see icmp(7). 

SEE ALSO

intro(2), ioctl(2), socket(3N), arp(7), icmp(7), inet(7), ip(7), tcp(7)

File System Administration

LIST OF SPECIAL FILES

NameAppears on Page Description
ARParp(7)Address Resolution Protocol
ICMPicmp(7)Internet Control Message Protocol
IPip(7)Internet Protocol
PCFSpcfs(7)DOS formatted file system
TCPtcp(7)Internet Transmission Control Protocol
UDPudp(7)Internet User Datagram Protocol
ahaaha(7)low-level module for Adaptec 154x ISA host bus
adapters
arparp(7)Address Resolution Protocol
asyasy(7)asynchronous serial port driver
ataata(7)AT attachment disk driver
audioaudio(7)generic audio device interface
audioamdaudioamd(7)telephone quality audio device
audiocsaudiocs(7)Crystal Semiconductor 4231 audio Interface
bdbd(7)SunButtons and SunDials STREAMS module
bebe(7)BigMAC Fast Ethernet device driver
bppbpp(7)bi-directional parallel port driver
bufmodbufmod(7)STREAMS Buffer Module
bwtwobwtwo(7)black and white memory frame buffer
cdiocdio(7)CD-ROM control operations
cgeightcgeight(7)24-bit color memory frame buffer
cgfourcgfour(7)P4-bus 8-bit color memory frame buffer
cgfourteencgfourteen(7)24-bit color graphics device
cgsixcgsix(7)accelerated 8-bit color frame buffer
cgthreecgthree(7)8-bit color memory frame buffer
cgtwelvecgtwelve(7)24-bit SBus color memory frame buffer and graphics
accelerator
cgtwocgtwo(7)color graphics interface
cmdkcmdk(7)common disk driver
cmtpcmtp(7)common tape driver
connldconnld(7)line discipline for unique stream connections
consoleconsole(7)STREAMS-based console interface
dbridbri(7)Dual Basic Rate ISDN and audio Interface
displaydisplay(7)system console display
dkiodkio(7)disk control operations
dlpidlpi(7)Data Link Provider Interface
dptdpt(7)DPT 2011, 2021, 2012 and 2022 low-level controller
modules
dsadsa(7)low-level module for Dell SCSI Array Controller
(DSA)
ehaeha(7)low-level module for Adaptec 174x EISA host bus
adapter
elel(7)3COM 3C503 Ethernet device driver
elinkelink(7)3COM 3C507 Ethernet device driver
elxelx(7)3COM EtherLink III Ethernet device driver
envmenvm(7)EISA NVRAM support
espesp(7)ESP SCSI Host Bus Adapter Driver
fbiofbio(7)frame buffer control operations
fdfd(7)drivers for floppy disks and floppy disk controllers
fdcfd(7)drivers for floppy disks and floppy disk controllers
fdiofdio(7)floppy disk control operations
gtgt(7)double buffered 24-bit SBus color frame buffer and
graphics accelerator
hdiohdio(7)SMD and IPI disk control operations
hsfshsfs(7)High Sierra & ISO 9660 CD-ROM filesystem
icmpicmp(7)Internet Control Message Protocol
idipi(7)IPI driver
ieie(7)Intel 82586 Ethernet device driver
ieeiee(7)Intel EtherExpress 16 Ethernet device driver
ifif_tcp(7)general properties of Internet Protocol network
interfaces
if_tcpif_tcp(7)general properties of Internet Protocol network
interfaces
inetinet(7)Internet protocol family
ipip(7)Internet Protocol
ipdppp(7)STREAMS modules and drivers for the Point-to-Point
Protocol
ipdcmppp(7)STREAMS modules and drivers for the Point-to-Point
Protocol
ipdptpppp(7)STREAMS modules and drivers for the Point-to-Point
Protocol
ipi3scipi(7)IPI driver
ipiipi(7)IPI driver
isipi(7)IPI driver
isdnioisdnio(7)ISDN interfaces
ispisp(7)ISP SCSI Host Bus Adapter Driver
kbkb(7)keyboard STREAMS module
kdmousekdmouse(7)built-in mouse device interface
keyboardkeyboard(7)system console keyboard
kmemmem(7)physical or virtual memory
kstatkstat(7)kernel statistics driver
ksymsksyms(7)kernel symbols
ldtermldterm(7)standard STREAMS terminal line discipline module
lele(7)Am7990 (LANCE) Ethernet device driver
lebufferle(7)Am7990 (LANCE) Ethernet device driver
ledmale(7)Am7990 (LANCE) Ethernet device driver
leoleo(7)double-buffered 24-bit SBus color frame buffer and
graphics accelerator
llc1llc1(7)Logical Link Control Protocol Class 1 Driver
lofslofs(7)loopback virtual file system
loglog(7)interface to STREAMS error logging and event tracing
logilogi(7)LOGITECH Bus Mouse device interface
lplp(7)driver for parallel port
mcismcis(7)low-level module for IBM MicroChannel host bus
adapter
mcppmcpp(7)ALM-2 Parallel Printer port driver
mcpzsamcpzsa(7)ALM-2 Zilog 8530 SCC serial communications driver
memmem(7)physical or virtual memory
mlxmlx(7)low-level module for Mylex DAC960 EISA host bus
adapter series
msmmsm(7)Microsoft Bus Mouse device interface
mtmt(7)tape interface
mtiomtio(7)general magnetic tape interface
nullnull(7)the null file
openpromopenprom(7)PROM monitor configuration interface
pcfspcfs(7)DOS formatted file system
pcktpckt(7)STREAMS Packet Mode module
pepe(7)Xircom Pocket Ethernet device driver
pfmodpfmod(7)STREAMS Packet Filter Module
pipemodpipemod(7)STREAMS pipe flushing module
pnipi(7)IPI driver
pppppp(7)STREAMS modules and drivers for the Point-to-Point
Protocol
ppp_diagppp(7)STREAMS modules and drivers for the Point-to-Point
Protocol
ptemptem(7)STREAMS Pseudo Terminal Emulation module
ptmptm(7)STREAMS pseudo-tty master driver
ptspts(7)STREAMS pseudo-tty slave driver
qeqe(7)QEC/MACE Ethernet device driver
qecqec(7)QEC bus nexus device driver
quotactlquotactl(7)manipulate disk quotas
sadsad(7)STREAMS Administrative Driver
sbprosbpro(7)Sound Blaster Pro audio device
sdsd(7)driver for SCSI disk and CD-ROM devices
smcsmc(7)SMC 8003/8013/8216 Ethernet device driver
smcesmce(7)SMC 3032/EISA dual-channel Ethernet device driver
sockiosockio(7)ioctls that operate directly on sockets
stst(7)driver for SCSI tape devices
stcstc(7)Serial Parallel Communications driver for SBus
streamiostreamio(7)STREAMS ioctl commands
tcptcp(7)Internet Transmission Control Protocol
tcxtcx(7)24-bit SBus color memory frame buffer
termiotermio(7)general terminal interface
termioxtermiox(7)extended general terminal interface
ticltsticlts(7)loopback transport providers
ticotsticlts(7)loopback transport providers
ticotsordticlts(7)loopback transport providers
timodtimod(7)Transport Interface cooperating STREAMS module
tirdwrtirdwr(7)Transport Interface read/write interface STREAMS
module
tmpfstmpfs(7)memory based filesystem
trtr(7)IBM 16/4 Token Ring Network Adapter device driver
ttcompatttcompat(7)V7, 4BSD and XENIX STREAMS compatibility module
ttytty(7)controlling terminal interface
udpudp(7)Internet User Datagram Protocol
visual_iovisual_io(7)Solaris VISUAL I/O control operations
volfsvolfs(7)Volume Management file system
vuid2ps2vuidmice(7)converts mouse protocol to Firm Events
vuid3ps2vuidmice(7)converts mouse protocol to Firm Events
vuidm3pvuidmice(7)converts mouse protocol to Firm Events
vuidm4pvuidmice(7)converts mouse protocol to Firm Events
vuidm5pvuidmice(7)converts mouse protocol to Firm Events
vuidmicevuidmice(7)converts mouse protocol to Firm Events
wsconswscons(7)workstation console
xdxd(7)disk driver for Xylogics 7053 SMD Disk Controller
xdcxd(7)disk driver for Xylogics 7053 SMD Disk Controller
xtxt(7)driver for Xylogics 472 1/2 inch tape controller
xyxy(7)disk driver for Xylogics 450 and 451 SMD Disk
Controllers
xycxy(7)disk driver for Xylogics 450 and 451 SMD Disk
Controllers
zerozero(7)source of zeroes
zszs(7)Zilog 8530 SCC serial communications driver
zshzsh(7)On-board serial HDLC/SDLC interface

SunOS 5.4  —  Last change: 8 Jan 1993