.\"	$NetBSD: sysctl.conf.5,v 1.3 2009/05/13 22:57:34 wiz Exp $
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.Dd October 4, 2007
.Dt SYSCTL.CONF 5
.Os
.Sh NAME
.Nm sysctl.conf
.Nd sysctl configuration file
.Sh SYNOPSIS
.Nm
.Sh DESCRIPTION
The
.Nm
file defines the
.Xr sysctl 7
kernel state tunables that can be set at boot time using
.Xr sysctl 8
(using the
.Fl f
switch)
via the
.Pa /etc/rc.d/sysctl
startup script.
.Pp
The state to be set is described using a
.Dq Management Information Base
.Pq Dq MIB
style name.
The MIB and value must be separated by
.Sq =
with no whitespace, for example:
.Pp
.Ar name Ns Li = Ns Ar value
.Pp
Blank lines, lines with just
.Ar name ,
and comments (beginning with
.Sq # )
are ignored.
Line continuations using backslash
.Sq \e
are permitted.
Only integral and string values can be set.
.\"
.Sh FILES
.Bl -tag -width /etc/sysctl.conf -compact
.It Pa /etc/sysctl.conf
The file
.Nm
resides in
.Pa /etc .
.El
.Sh EXAMPLES
The following is an example
.Pa /etc/sysctl.conf
file:
.Pp
.Bd -literal
# Change max open files
kern.maxfiles=1792

# Run Veriexec in IDS mode
kern.veriexec.strict=1

# Enable IP packet forwarding
net.inet.ip.forwarding=1
.Ed
.Sh SEE ALSO
.Xr sysctl 3 ,
.Xr rc.conf 5 ,
.Xr sysctl 7 ,
.Xr sysctl 8
.Sh HISTORY
Support for
.Nm
first appeared in
.Nx 1.5 .