Subject: Re: newfs: determining file system parameters
To: Christian Limpach <chris@pin.lu>
From: Thor Lancelot Simon <tls@rek.tjls.com>
List: tech-kern
Date: 10/20/2003 21:18:17
On Mon, Oct 20, 2003 at 07:16:38PM +0200, Christian Limpach wrote:
> On Mon, 20 Oct 2003 09:47:16 -0700 Bill Studenmund <wrstuden@netbsd.org> wrote:
> 
> > You're way over-engineering this. :-) All newfs needs is exactly what's
> > in struct partition now, with info from the static part of disklabel. I
> > agree we may need more stuff in the future, but let's wait until then for 
> > implementing it.
> 
> but then we should also wait with adding any ioctl until we have a real
> need for one ;-)

I have a need for one: with a per-partition ioctl, it's possible to allow
filesystems to be rebuilt without potentially compromising the integrity
of the TCB, at securelevel 1 or 2.  Right now, you have to protect all the
sectors with the disklabel in them, so _any_ write fails; with an ioctl
per partition, we can allow only safe operations without forbidding them
all.

Thor