Re: [GIT *] Allow request_firmware() to be satisfied from in-kernel, use it in more drivers.

Willy Tarreau
2008-09-12T21:47:15Z

On Fri, Sep 12, 2008 at 04:59:36PM -0400, Jeff Garzik wrote:
> Willy Tarreau wrote:
> >Exactly. To give you an idea, I have a lot of servers running on a
> >"firmware" which consists in two parts :
> > - a bzImage containing an initramfs with modules and a few scripts
> > - an initrd which is in fact the rootfs
> >
> >When the kernel boots, it mounts the initrd, does a pivot_root and mounts
> >its modules into /boot/$(uname -r). All my kernels run modules from /boot
> >and not from /lib/modules, because it makes them more convenient to add
> >and remove. So /lib/modules is just a symlink to /boot.
> >
> >The above process is very convenient, as it is compatible with a lot of
> >boot methods : hard disk, CDROM, USB stick, PXE, etc...
> >
> >And moreover, I can have multiple kernels with only one rootfs (SMP, etc).
> >Introducing firmware there would mean a major thinking and rework of the
> >build (and possibly boot) process. The least invasive would probably be
> >to stuff them next to the modules in $(uname -r)/firmware, but even then,
> >it will take a lot of time to switch to a new system.
> >
> >And judging from what I see around, I'm far from being the only one not
> >using mkinitrd.
>
>
> FWIW, due to both lack of time and lack of (apparent) interest, I didn't
> bother moving forward with the compile-firmware-into-module, even though

This is what I was assuming, but thanks for clarifying this, Jeff.

> I still think it would be useful to add [back].

So do I. I think it will be easier to find time and work efficiently on
the subject when directly facing an issue.

Regards,
Willy