[xen-tools] Re: Feature proposal

[Steve Kemp]

On Fri Jun 15, 2007 at 18:32:11 +0200, Sascha Kettler wrote:
> I'm currently creating a modified xen-create-image script that is
> capable of handling more complex partition layouts.

  Great.

> As I want to make my patch public when it is ready, I'm going to
> disclose some semantics for you to comment on.

  I'd be happy to include such a set of changes, providing the coding
 style matched that currently in use.

> The approach I'm currently implementing is an additional command line
> option "--layout=file" that points to a file containing the partition
> layout. The partitions will be created using "--lvm" or "--dir"

  I'd suggest "--partitions=filename", rather than "--layout".

  I'd also suggest that the file should be assumed to come from
 /etc/xen-tools/partitions.d/ - unless fully-qualified.  That way
 I can include some simple samples in the distribution and we
 can get tab-completion on them easily.

> ("--evms" should be easy to implement; but I won't be able to test it);

  Ditto.

> "--swap", "--noswap" and "--swap-dev" would be ignored and "--image-dev"
> would not be supported.

  That sounds reasonable.  I'd suggest you could some things in
 checkCommandLineArguments, or whatever the function is called, to
 abort on mutually conflicting arguments.

> The layout file would look something like this (my default layout):
> 
> 	[root]
> 	size=1G
> 	type=ext3
> 	mountpoint=/
> 	options=sync

  That looks fine.  I hope you're using a module to parse this though ;)

> Any comments or suggestions?

  Apart from that above, no.

> Also, I think we need a "--modules" parameter that points to the correct
> /lib/modules path for the domU kernel when you have different kernels
> for dom0 and domU.

  That could be added - and seems like a fine idea.

Steve
-- 
http://www.steve.org.uk/