Subject: Re: Keeping obsolete device numbers? (was: CVS commit: src/sys/conf)
To: None <tech-kern@NetBSD.org>
From: Bill Studenmund <wrstuden@netbsd.org>
List: tech-kern
Date: 02/27/2006 14:57:57
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On Sat, Feb 25, 2006 at 06:28:00PM +0100, Bernd Ernesti wrote:
> On Sat, Feb 25, 2006 at 12:17:17PM -0500, Christos Zoulas wrote:
> > On Feb 25, 11:39am, netbsd@lists.veego.de (Bernd Ernesti) wrote:
> > -- Subject: Keeping obsolete device numbers? (was: CVS commit: src/sys/=
conf)
> >=20
> > | On Sat, Feb 25, 2006 at 01:32:10AM +0000, Christos Zoulas wrote:
> > | [..]
> > | > Modified Files:
> > | > 	src/sys/conf: files majors
> > | >=20
> > | > Log Message:
> > | > remove vinum
> > | [..]
> > | > cvs rdiff -r1.18 -r1.19 src/sys/conf/majors
> > |=20
> > | Hi Christos,
> > |=20
> > | you left the vinum entry with an obsolete comment in that list, which=
 is IMHO
> > | correct, but i was asking myself if the device numbers should also be=
 left in that
> > | list, so we see which was the old device number.
> >=20
> > I put it back, thanks.
>=20
> Thank you.

Yes, thank you!

> > | Which brings us to the question about recycling obsolete device numbe=
rs.
> > | Should we do that or not and what is the downside if we do it?
> > |=20
> > | I think we could recycle it at one point, which could be one or two m=
ajor
> > | releases after it was removed.
>=20
> I would like to get some comments about this point.
> Is it ok, or should we keep the obsolete device numbers for a longer time?

I'd say two or three. Or more. I don't think we are cramped for majors at=
=20
the present time, and if we re-use a major, we MUST make sure admins wipe=
=20
out the old device nodes. Otherwise /dev/vinum0d points to the device that=
=20
re-used the major, and the permissions may be all wrong.

> > | Hmm, do we also need to teach postinstall about this obsolete device
> > | numbers?
> >=20
> > I don't know what needs to be done about that. Do we have dev nodes in
> > lists?
>=20
> I don't think so, but it would be good to have some support, which will be
> complicated in the case of MD devices nodes.

I don't think we generate a list that gets installed, but we could add=20
that. We do auto-generate other files, like I believe MAKEDEV, based on MD=
=20
and MI files, so the basis is there.

Take care,

Bill

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