---
name: "instances.conf"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "zorp"
version: "3.9.5-4"
release: "Debian 8 (Jessie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/instances.conf/5"
---

# instances.conf(5)

zorp(8) instances database

## NAME

instances.conf\_ - [zorp(8)](/zorp/8.md) instances database

## DESCRIPTION

The instances.conf file describes the **[zorp(8)](/zorp/8.md)** instances to be run on the system. It is processed by **[zorpctl(8)](/zorpctl/8.md)** line by line, each line having the structure described below. Empty lines and lines beginning with '#' are comments ignored by **zorpctl**.

## STRUCTURE

**instance-name parameters \[-- zorpctl-options\]**

*instance-name* is the name of the Zorp instance to be started; it is passed to **zorp** with its **--as** parameter. Instance names may consist of the characters \[a-zA-Z0-9\_\] and must begin with a letter.

*parameters* are space separated parameters entered into the zorp command-line. For details on these command-line parameters see [zorp(8)](/zorp/8.md).

*zorpctl-options* are space separated parameters control startup specific options. They are processed by **zorpctl** itself. The following **zorpctl** options are available:

**--auto-restart** or **-A**

Enable the automatic restart feature of **zorpctl**. When an instance is in auto-restart mode, it is restarted automatically in case the instance exits.

**--no-auto-restart** or **-a**

Disable automatic restart for this instance.

**--fd-limit \<number\>** or **-f \<number\>**

Set the file descriptor limit to \<number\>. The file descriptor limit defaults to the number of threads (specified by the *--threads* parameter of [zorp(8)](/zorp/8.md)) multiplied by 4.

**--process-limit \<number\>** or **-p \<number\>**

Set the process limit to \<number\>. The process limit defaults to the number of threads (specified by the *--threads* parameter of [zorp(8)](/zorp/8.md)) multiplied by 2.

**--enable-core**

Explicitly enable core dumps for Zorp processes. The core limit is inherited from the local starting environment (e.g.: starting shell) if not specified.

**--parallel-instances \<number\>** or **-P \<number\>**

Run \<number\> of processes for the instance. **zorpctl** starts exactly one Zorp process in master mode and \<number\> of slave Zorp processes. This mode of operation is incompatible with old-style dispatchers, you must use the new rule-based policy with this option.

## EXAMPLES

**zorp\_ftp --policy /etc/zorp/policy.py --verbose 5**

The line above describes a Zorp instance named *zorp\_ftp* using policy file */etc/zorp/policy.py*, and having verbosity level 5.

**zorp\_intra -v4 -p /etc/zorp/policy.py --threads 500 --no-auto-restart --fd-limit 1024 --process-limit 512**

This line describes a zorp instance named *zorp\_intra* using the policy file /etc/zorp/policy.py, verbosity level 4. The maximum number of threads is set to 500, file descriptor limit to 1024, process limit to 512.

## FILES

The default location of instances.conf is /etc/zorp/instances.conf. Defaults for zorpctl tunables can be specified in /etc/zorp/zorpctl.

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by the BalaBit Documentation Team \<documentation@balabit.com\>.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2006 BalaBit IT Security Ltd. All rights reserved. For more information about the legal status of this document please read: **http://www.balabit.com/products/zorp/docs/legal\_notice.bbq**