storage revision 1.7 
1$NetBSD: storage,v 1.7 2009/10/02 07:43:01 cegger Exp $
2
3NetBSD Storage Roadmap
4======================
5
6This is a small roadmap document, and deals with the storage and file
7systems side of the operating system.
8
9The following elements and projects are pencilled in for 6.0, but
10please do not rely on them being there.
11
121. devfs
132. logical volume management
143. a native port of Sun's ZFS
154. ReFUSE-lowlevel
165. web-based management tools for storage subsystems
176. support for flash devices - NAND and MMC/SD
187. rump extensions
198. virtualised disks in userland
209. in-kernel iSCSI initiator
21
22We currently expect to branch 6.0 in the March 2010 timeframe, with a view
23to a 6.0 release later in 2010.
24
25We'll continue to update this roadmap as features and dates get firmed up.
26
27Some explanations
28=================
29
301. devfs
31---------
32
33Devfs will allow device special files (the files used to access
34devices) to be created dynamically as and when they are attached to
35the system.  This will greatly reduce the number of files in a /dev
36directory and removes the need to run the MAKEDEV script when support
37for new devices is added to the NetBSD kernel.  NetBSD's devfs
38implementation will also allow multiple instances of the file system
39to be mounted simultaneously, which is very useful for chroot jails.
40Please contact core@ if you are interested in devfs development.
41
42Responsible: mjf
43
442. Logical Volume Management
45----------------------------
46
47Based on the Linux lvm2 and devmapper software, with a new kernel component
48for NetBSD written. Merged in 5.99.5 sources, will be in 6.0.
49
50Responsible: haad, martin
51
523. Native port of Sun's ZFS
53---------------------------
54
55Two Summer of Code projects have been held, concentrating on the
56provision of ZFS support for NetBSD.  Mostly completed by haad, and
57building on ver's work, this is the port of Sun's ZFS, with
58modifications to make it compile on NetBSD by ad@, and based on the
59Sun code for the block layer. Discussions are still taking place to
60get the design right for support for the openat(2) system call family,
61and the correct architecture for reclaiming vnodes.
62
63The ZFS source code has been committed to the repository.
64
65Responsible: haad, ad, ver
66
674. ReFUSE-lowlevel
68------------------
69
70FUSE has two interfaces, the normal high-level one, and a lower-level
71interface which is closer to the way standard file systems operate. This
72adds the low-level functionality in the same way that ReFUSE adds the
73high-level functionality
74
75Responsible: pooka, agc
76
775. Web-based Management tools for Storage Subsystems
78----------------------------------------------------
79
80Standard tools for managing the storage subsystems that NetBSD provides,
81using a standard web-server as the basic user interface on the storage
82device, allowing remote management by a standard web browser.
83
84Responsible: agc
85
866. Support for flash devices - NAND and MMC/SD
87----------------------------------------------
88
89The NetBSD Foundation is interested in having a file system which is
90optimised to work with today's flash devices, including SSDs both with
91wear-levelling functionality and without, as well as support for NAND,
92and MMC/SD devices. Please get in touch with core@ if you're interested
93in helping out with this area of development.
94
95Responsible: TBD
96
977. RUMP Extensions
98------------------
99
100Rump support has been in NetBSD for 2 releases now, and continues to be
101developed actively. Recent additions have included cgd support, and smbfs
102client support.
103
104Responsible: pooka
105
1068. Virtualised disks in Userland
107--------------------------------
108
109For better support of virtualization, a library which provides a consistent 
110view of virtualized disk images has been developed by jmcneill.
111
112Responsible: jmcneill
113
1149. In-kernel iSCSI Initiator
115----------------------------
116
117NetBSD has had a userland implementation of an iSCSI initiator since
118NetBSD 4.99.35, based on ReFUSE.  There is a possibility that an
119in-kernel initiator may be available - please contact core if you are
120interested in this functionality.
121
122Responsible: core
123
124
125Alistair Crooks
126Tue 15 Sep 2009 08:44:14 PDT
127