Linux-kernel mailing list archive 2000-32,: RE: RAID questions

# RE: RAID questions

Gregory Leblanc (GLeblanc@cu-portland.edu)
Mon, 7 Aug 2000 21:51:16 -0700

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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Adam McKenna [mailto:adam@flounder.net]
> Sent: Monday, August 07, 2000 9:27 PM
> To: Gregory Leblanc
> Cc: linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu; linux-raid@vger.rutgers.edu
> Subject: Re: RAID questions
>
> On Mon, Aug 07, 2000 at 08:07:58PM -0700, Gregory Leblanc wrote:
> > I'm a little verbose, but this should answer most of your questions,
> > although sometimes in a slightly annoyed tone. Don't take
> it personally.
>
> There's a difference between being annoyed and being
> immature. You seem to
> have answered everything with maturity, so no offense taken.

Phew. Sometimes I come off poorly, and people flip out. I hate that.

> I did a search on google. The majority of posts I was able
> to find mentioned
> a 2.2.15 patch which could be applied to 2.2.16 as long as
> several hunks were
> hand-patched. Personally, I don't particularly like
> hand-patching code.
> Especially when the data that my job depends on is involved.

Hmm, there have been some recently (I think) for the 2.2.16 kernels. I've
not kept up on my testing (no time), so I'm still running 2.2.14.

> > > 2) The current 2.2.16 errata lists a problem with md.c which
> > > is fixed by the
> > > patch "2.2.16combo".
> >
> > I believe that md software RAID applies to the old RAID
> code. The RAID
> > stuff has been VERY good for quite a while now.
>
> The howto on linux.org listed
> ftp://www.fi.kernel.org/pub/linux/daemons/raid
> as the "official" location for the RAID patches. The patches
> located there
> only went up to 2.2.11. In fact, looking now, the
> linuxdoc.org howto lists
> the same location.

True enough, it's out of date. I'm going to try to get Jacob to point to my
FAQ, but I haven't gotten enough feedback just yet.

> the first place. In retrospect, I suppose it was a stupid
> question, but I'd
> rather be safe than sorry.

There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers. :-) Amongst the other
45 kernel compiles I've got to do this week, I'll try to find some time to
look at the 2.2.16 patch, and see if it works nicely with Ingo's RAID patch
on my system.

> Thanks for the link. However as mentioned above the howto
> there still gives
> the incorrect location for current kernel patches.

Sorry, I can't fix that. I just help put the HOWTOs online, I don't write
them (at least not much).

> > > So, I have the following questions.
> > >
> > > 1) Do I need to apply the RAID patch to 2.2.16 or not?
> >
> > Do you want new RAID, or old RAID?
>
> Well, the box won't boot with the stock MD driver.

In that case, you need to patch your kernel. :) I think you mentioned that
you'd already found the 2.2.16 patch, so run with that, and see what
happens.

> > > 2) If I do, will it still broken unless I apply the
> > > "2.2.16combo" patch?

D'uh, I'll look and see what it does for me, and report back. Probably NOT
tomorrow, but some time this week. Maybe somebody else will step forward
with results before I get to it.

> I was hoping my post would serve as a reminder to those on
> the list who are in
> charge of maintaining those resources.

I dunno, the kernel list just scares me. There's too much extraneous stuff
that goes through there anyway, and 90% of it is over my head. Speaking of
which, I'll trim them from the list, after this email (since somebody there
might have tried more patches than myself).

> > If you don't know what you're doing, GET A TEST MACHINE.
> Sorry to yell, but
> > don't play with things on production boxes. Find a nice
> cheapie P-133 type
> > box, grab a couple of drives, and test out RAID that way.
> Don't do that one
> > production boxes. If somebody can't come up with $200 to
> get you a test
> > box, then spring for it yourself, and get a decent X term for home.

[SNIP]
> My current prime objective is getting rid of the current kernel we are
> running, as I am having other problems with the box that I
> think are kernel
> related. (EAGAIN errors -- resource temporarily unavailable
> when trying to
> make a TCP connection to a remote host after about 5 days of
> uptime) A test
> box would be nice but it could take weeks to obtain one.
> Personally, I'd
> rather avoid having to go in at 2:30 in the morning again to
> reboot the box.

Ah, sorry about that one, it might have been a little out of line. However,
do get yourself a test box, doesn't even need to be the same hardware, just
something that you can break.

>
> I looked at geocrawler, but I found their site to be really
> slow and their
> search engine to be crap. I didn't have the time or the
> patience to go
> wading through messages one by one.

It seemed good to me, but I've already read everything that I've been
looking for. :-) From aforementioned FAQ:

1.1. Where can I find archives for the linux-raid mailing list?
My favorite archives are at Geocrawler.
http://www.geocrawler.com/lists/3/Linux/57/0/
Other archives are available at
http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-raid&r=1&w=2
Another archive site is
http://www.mail-archive.com/linux-raid@vger.rutgers.edu/

> I'd be glad for a copy of the FAQ. If you need web space to
> host it, let me
> know.

Sure, it's on it's way (although you can read it from the archives too).
I've got a place to host it, time to finish it has been the issue. :-) It
will be online by the weekend, unless we have a meltdown in the server room
at work. HTH,
Greg

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