| 1 |
On Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 08:39:55PM -0400, Rich Freeman wrote: |
| 2 |
> > As the genkernel author, there have been debates about replacing the |
| 3 |
> > initramfs-generation portion with Dracut (which requires porting of some |
| 4 |
> > of the existing initramfs functionality to Dracut) [this is probably a |
| 5 |
> > GSOC project candidate as well, but it'll be a lot of work]. |
| 6 |
> I'm not sure what genkernel functionality dracut is actually missing, |
| 7 |
> but you could certainly use dracut even without porting any additional |
| 8 |
> functionality to it. Since dracut is highly modular it is probably a |
| 9 |
> good starting point. |
| 10 |
> |
| 11 |
> If anybody does port genkernel functionality to dracut I suggest doing |
| 12 |
> it in coordination with upstream so that this isn't some kind of |
| 13 |
> Gentoo-specific patch (or more likely a set of modules). |
| 14 |
The objective here would be trying for 1:1 compatibility layer with |
| 15 |
genkernel initramfs arguments & behavior, such that the upgrade can |
| 16 |
detect "are all kernel options presently used supported by the new |
| 17 |
version, or would the user have to modify their kernel boot params to |
| 18 |
boot safely" |
| 19 |
|
| 20 |
Some of the behavior might just be thin wrapping or reuse of dracut |
| 21 |
behavior, eg: |
| 22 |
- btrfs |
| 23 |
- dmcrypt |
| 24 |
- iscsi |
| 25 |
- lvm |
| 26 |
- mdadm |
| 27 |
- multipath |
| 28 |
- ssh (dropbear) |
| 29 |
- zfs |
| 30 |
- dmcrypt |
| 31 |
- luks |
| 32 |
- dmraid |
| 33 |
- ataraid |
| 34 |
|
| 35 |
Other parts might be unique and need to be ported still, eg: |
| 36 |
- gentoo livedvd |
| 37 |
- docache |
| 38 |
- aufs |
| 39 |
- do/no$HW |
| 40 |
- swsusp |
| 41 |
- tuxonice |
| 42 |
- unionfs |
| 43 |
- overlayfs |
| 44 |
- fbsplash (I think there are two different implementations even) |
| 45 |
|
| 46 |
Some functionality WILL be on the chopping block, because it's probably |
| 47 |
sufficiently underutilized at this point to not be worth porting, eg: |
| 48 |
- MIPS CD EFS partitions |
| 49 |
- older compressed ISO formats |
| 50 |
- non-libata IDE devices |
| 51 |
|
| 52 |
As a GSOC project, this would probably start by making sure there is a |
| 53 |
comprehensive list of genkernel initramfs functionality, and matching |
| 54 |
parts to existing dracut functionality, and then prioritizing the |
| 55 |
remaining pieces for those that need wrappers vs from-scratch vs |
| 56 |
obsolete code. |
| 57 |
|
| 58 |
-- |
| 59 |
Robin Hugh Johnson |
| 60 |
Gentoo Linux: Dev, Infra Lead, Foundation Trustee & Treasurer |
| 61 |
E-Mail : robbat2@g.o |
| 62 |
GnuPG FP : 11ACBA4F 4778E3F6 E4EDF38E B27B944E 34884E85 |
| 63 |
GnuPG FP : 7D0B3CEB E9B85B1F 825BCECF EE05E6F6 A48F6136 |
Archives