O_DIRECT support important for high data volume applications

[Michael Susag]

When will we see O_DIRECT support included in
the Linux kernel?

We have now tested 2.4.4 with the o_direct-5 patch,
and it still works perfectly.

I sent an email about two weeks ago asking if the O_DIRECT 
patch by Andrea Archangeli would be included in 2.4.4.
2.4.4 has since been released, but only with the rawio 
patch, which Andrea considered as a bugfix patch. 

The O_DIRECT patch is in my view really important
for high data volume applications that do 
caching internally. The performance graph 
I posted earlier should be enough evidence.

If I remember correctly, Stephen Tweedie implemented 
O_DIRECT support already back in 1999. Why this 
implementation was not included, I do not know.

Linux would be lacking behind other OSs if not 
O_DIRECT support is added. All major commercial 
OSs have this capability.

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