[Pvfs2-developers] some testing questions

[David Brown]

> As I see it, if you need root for one step, then you might as well
> use it for both.  The kernel module has to be loaded as root anyway,
> so what does running the client as a non-root user buy you?

Well technically you don't, with apps like dbus you can have modules
auto-loaded by non-root applications on demand. Also with .service
files dbus can auto-launch userspace apps as well, so the pvfs2-client
can be shutdown when the pvfs2 file system isn't be accessed and
started again when someone wants to access it. This could all be done
with automount I would think... that'd be kinda cool :)

This is of course a wish list sort of thing I'd understand if its not
very high on the priority list ;).

> I think its probably because its just easier to use mknod then figure
> out how to use the syscall table in the kernel, but if you know of a
> better way, we'd certainly consider any patches you send.  In
> general, the pvfs model is keep the kernel module as lightweight as
> possible, so anything that can go in the userspace client gets put
> there.

Yeah I'm not familiar with that aspect of the kernel either... but has
their been any push to attempt to get the kernel part into the vanilla
kernel?

- David Brown