Re: RFC: Self-snapshotting in Linux

[Pavel Machek <pavel@ucw.cz>]

On Wed 2008-04-16 23:21:05, Peter Teoh wrote:
> Thank you for your reply.
> 
> Just some questions...
> 
> On 4/16/08, Pavel Machek <pavel@ucw.cz> wrote:
> > > Sorry if this is a a crazy idea.....just be forewarned....
> >  >
> >  > First, I would like to make a reference to VMWare's snapshot (name not
> >  > important, emphasize the idea) feature - hopefully u are familiar with
> >  > it.   This is a feature whereby u can freeze the entire OS (kernel +
> >  > userspace application running) and then later reload itself next time,
> >  > continuing where it left off, without reboot from ground zero.
> >  >
> >  > Next, can I ask, is such a feature useful in Linux?   Ie, able to
> >  > restart the kernel + userspace application from where u left off, the
> >  > last time round.    Not JUST the normal suspend/resume feature, but
> >  > more important able to CHOOSE among the different available images
> >  > for
> >  > u to resume on.   Eg, u want to freeze the current 2.6.25-rc6
> >  > kernel,
> >
> >
> > Could we use english on this list?
> >
> >  Anyway, hibernate, cp /dev/root /somewhere/root.1; cp /dev/swap
> >  /somewhere/swap.1
> >
> 
> The current userspace suspend actually saved the entire state of the
> memory (which applications are oepne/closed) into the swap area,
> right?

> So the 2nd line above of backingup the swap should allow us to restore
>  back state of the userspace applications later - correct?

Yes, but you need to match memory state with filesystem state...
									Pavel
-- 
(english) http://www.livejournal.com/~pavelmachek
(cesky, pictures) http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~pavel/picture/horses/blog.html