Re: Suggested dual human/binary interface for proc/devfs

[Richard Gooch]

Linus Torvalds writes:
> On 13 Apr 2000, Kjetil Torgrim Homme wrote:
> > 
> > To make devfs really useful the permissions need to be set on a higher
> > level, algorithmically and dynamically.  That is, a user space device
> > manager where you can specify _general_ rules like "members of the
> > backup filegroup shall have read access to all storage devices".
> 

> Exactly. This is the kind of thing that makes devfs worth it.

A lot of this is possible now with devfsd. And all the basic
mechanisms (i.e. in devfs and the protocol) should be there.

> Together with some way of specifying these things for the whole
> network (I wasn't kidding when I mentioned NIS) it actually gives
> system administrators something new. And it makes for more than just
> a regular /dev on a regular filesystem.

Yes, the NIS idea sounds good. I'll look at adding that to devfsd.

> Imagine devfs together with network block devices - you could quite
> transparently handle local/non-local disks etc, without the user even
> knowing. And with the sysadmin being able to change what /dev/hda is
> without having to even log onto the machine in question..
> 
> [ Yes, that example probably sucks. Don't even bother showing how
>   stupid it is. I'm more trying to get the mindset here. ]

So you're thinking of implementing some kind of network-wide devices?

				Regards,

					Richard....
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