/var file system
The /var file system tends to grow because it contains subdirectories and data files that are used by busy applications such as accounting, mail, and the print spooler.
Attention: If applications on your system use the /var file
system extensively, routinely run the skulker command or increase the file
system size beyond the 4MB /var default.
Specific /var files that warrant periodic monitoring are /var/adm/wtmp and /var/adm/ras/errlog.
Other /var files to monitor are:
Item | Description |
---|---|
/var/adm/ras/trcfile | If the trace facility is turned on |
/var/tmp/snmpd.log | If the snmpd command is running on your system |
The /var directory diagram shows some of the directories in the /var file system.

Item | Description |
---|---|
/var/adm | Contains system logging and accounting files |
/var/news | Contains system news |
/var/preserve | Contains preserved data from interrupted edit sessions; similar to the /usr/preserve directory in previous releases |
/var/spool | Contains files being processed by programs such as electronic mail; similar to the /usr/spool directory in previous releases |
/var/tmp | Contains temporary files; similar to the /usr/tmp directory in previous releases. The /usr/tmp directory is now a symbolic link to /var/tmp. |