Re: [PATCH] print_dev_t for 2.6.0-test1-mm

Miquel van Smoorenburg
2003-07-17T10:31:45Z

In article <20030717122600.A2302@pclin040.win.tue.nl>,
Andries Brouwer <aebr@win.tue.nl> wrote:
>There are many filesystems that only have room for 32 bits.
>For example, NFSv2 has "unsigned int rdev".
>So, the kernel must be able to handle 32-bit device numbers.
>
>Now about the encoding - nobody knows. This NFS filesystem was mounted
>from a FreeBSD system. It is encoded 16+8+8 with the middle 8 the major.
>Or, no, it was Solaris or Irix. Encoded 14+18. Etc.
>
>In the case of NFSv2 there is an unknown system on the other side.

So put the translation of 32 bits rdev to 32:32 in the NFS client.
Provide a mount-time option "rdev-encoding=14:18", with symbolic
names for often-used encodings: "rdev-encoding=solaris". Done.
You can do this on the NFS server side as well.. per-client,
even. If anyone still cares for NFSv2, that is.

Same goes for other filesystems, though a dynamic translation will
not be nessecary. But the filesystem driver itself
must convert from native rdev to linux 32:32.

Mike.