file descriptors

We have started getting the error

FATAL: terminating connection due to administrator command

in some of our processes. Searching in the archives, I gather that this
is caused by a SIGTERM, and might be coming from a ulimit problem.

We are running Solaris 9/Intel, and the ulimit for nofiles for the
database owner process is 256. I suspect this needs to be set to
"unlimited", which I don't think should cause a problem on Solaris (?).

Is there any rule of thumb for determining how many file descriptors a
given postmaster would use, e.g., a way to find out how many data files
exist on the server, and/or an estimate for how many of them would have
to be open at any given time? Do ALL of the data files get kept open, or
do they get opened and closed?

Thanks.

- DAP
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David Parker Tazz Networks (401) 709-5130