[tor-bugs] #9708 [Tor]: Clarify "please raise ulimit -n" message

[Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki]

#9708: Clarify "please raise ulimit -n" message
-------------------------+-------------------------------------------------
     Reporter:  philip   |      Owner:
         Type:           |     Status:  new
  enhancement            |  Milestone:  Tor: 0.2.???
     Priority:  minor    |    Version:  Tor: 0.2.4.16-rc
    Component:  Tor      |   Keywords:  tor-relay 024-backport log, ulimit,
   Resolution:           |  limits 025-triaged 025-deferrable lorax
Actual Points:           |  Parent ID:
       Points:           |
-------------------------+-------------------------------------------------

Comment (by teor):

 For BSD network performance tuning, see also:
 https://wiki.freebsd.org/NetworkPerformanceTuning
 https://rerepi.wordpress.com/2008/04/19/tuning-freebsd-sysoev-rit/

 These *BSD tunables apply to OS X as well, as it's sysctl and kernel are
 *BSD-based-ish.

 However, OS X is further complicated (isn't it always?)...

 '''kern.ipc.maxsockets''' is dynamically determined with the set value
 (512) as a minimum, therefore this sysctl is read-only on OS X.

 '''launchd''' trying-to-be-helpfully sets kern.maxfiles and/or
 kern.maxfilesperproc based on the NumberOfFiles key in launchd plists for
 system-wide processes. It's safer to set them identically in both
 /etc/sysctl.conf and tor.launchd.plist, although the launchd plist should
 be sufficient. (We have to set kern.ipc.somaxconn in /etc/sysctl.conf
 anyway.)

 See
 https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/Manpages/man5/launchd.plist.5.html
 for all the gory details.

 This probably means an associated update to
 https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/doc/MacRunOnBoot
 See #13412

--
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/9708#comment:7>
Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki <https://trac.torproject.org/>
The Tor Project: anonymity online