Re: [klibc] Re: Exporting which partitions to md-configure

[Luca Berra <bluca@comedia.it>]

On Tue, Feb 07, 2006 at 07:46:59AM -0800, H. Peter Anvin wrote:
> Luca Berra wrote:
> > I don't like using partition type as a qualifier, there is people who do
> > not wish to partition their drives, there are systems not supporting
> > msdos like partitions, heck even m$ is migrating away from those.
>
> That's why we're talking about non-msdos partitioning schemes.

this still leaves whole disks

> > If the user wants to reutilize a device that was previously a member of
> > an md array he/she should use mdadm --zero-superblock to remove the
> > superblock.
> > I see no point in having a system that tries to compensate for users not
> > following correct procedures. sorry.
>
> You don't?  That surprises me... making it harder for the user to have 
> accidental data loss sounds like a very good thing to me.

making it harder for the user is a good thing, but please not at the
expense of usability

the only way i see a user can have data loss is if
- a md array is stopped
- two different filesystems are created on the component devices
- these filesystems are filled with data, but not to the point of
 damaging the superblock
- then the array is started again.

if only one device is removed using mdadm the event counter would
prevent the array from being assembled again.

there are a lot of easier ways for shooting yourself in the feet :)

if we really want to be paranoid we should modify mkXXXfs to refuse
creating a filesystem if the device has an md superblock on it. (lvm2
tools are already able to ignore devices with md superblocks on them,
no clue about EVMS)

L.
--
Luca Berra -- bluca@comedia.it
       Communication Media & Services S.r.l.
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