Tool to access ZFS/NFSv4 alternate data streams on FreeBSD?

[Lionel Cons]

On 18 September 2014 01:18, Rick Macklem <rmacklem at uoguelph.ca> wrote:
> Simon Toedt wrote:
>> On Mon, Sep 15, 2014 at 12:17 PM, Lionel Cons
>> <lionelcons1972 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > On 12 September 2014 17:47, Simon Toedt <simon.toedt at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >> On Fri, Sep 12, 2014 at 2:24 AM, Lionel Cons
>> >> <lionelcons1972 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>> On 9 September 2014 23:29, Rick Macklem <rmacklem at uoguelph.ca>
>> >>> wrote:
>> >>>> Simon Toedt wrote:
>> >>>>> On Tue, Sep 9, 2014 at 1:47 PM, Rick Macklem
>> >>>>> <rmacklem at uoguelph.ca>
>> >>>>> wrote:
>> >>>>> > Jordan Hubbard wrote:
>> >>>>> >> Yep.  I was just describing the experience that OS X went
>> >>>>> >> through
>> >>>>> >> in
>> >>>>> >> implementing extattrs / legacy resource fork support.  To
>> >>>>> >> recap it
>> >>>>> >> very briefly:  Having NFSv4 support extattrs (or even named
>> >>>>> >> streams,
>> >>>>> >> if you want to go that far) is the comparatively easy part.
>> >>>>> >>  It’s
>> >>>>> >> backing them up / copying them around that gets more
>> >>>>> >> involved, and
>> >>>>> >> if you can’t back up certain attributes then you’re not
>> >>>>> >> likely to
>> >>>>> >> get anyone to want to use them, at which point the whole
>> >>>>> >> “sharing”
>> >>>>> >> aspect kind of takes a back seat.
>> >>>>> >>
>> >>>>> > Yep. I strongly suspect you are correct.
>> >>>>> >
>> >>>>> > The question then becomes:
>> >>>>> > - Do we wait and see if someone chooses to get around to
>> >>>>> > doing all
>> >>>>> >   the hard userland work.
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> Solaris tools already have support for this. Also AT&T AST from
>> >>>>> David
>> >>>>> Korn have support for O_XATTR, too.
>> >>>>>
>> >>>> Hopefully others will correct me if I have this incorrect, but I
>> >>>> thought
>> >>>> CDDL code could only be used for optional components of FreeBSD?
>> >>>> I suspect tar and friends are considered core components and
>> >>>> that code
>> >>>> for this would have to be written by someone (ie. couldn't use
>> >>>> CDDL code?).
>> >>>> (I'm assuming that these tools are in OpenSolaris.)
>> >>>
>> >>> I don't think you FreeBSD should *copy* the code. But it can be
>> >>> used
>> >>> for reference how the extended tar headers for filesystem forks
>> >>> should
>> >>> look like. That's all.
>> >>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Be aware that most of FreeBSD's development is done by
>> >>>> volunteers in their
>> >>>> spare time, so I have no idea if someone is interested in doing
>> >>>> this.
>> >>>
>> >>> If anyone can get the kernel parts I think we can sponsor someone
>> >>> to
>> >>> do the userland work.
>> >>
>> >> How much money would CERN offer? :)
>> >>
>> >> Simon
>> >
>> > Depends. First I need to have more support (2nd funding pillar) and
>> > then write a proposal. Short: Paperwork. Long: More paperwork.
>> > But given the number of projects here which rely on O_XATTR there
>> > isn't a way around it so funding should be easy to obtain.
>>
>> Our institute volunteers for testing!
>>
>> is there a task or todo list yet?
>>
> Well, first I believe the FreeBSD project (I refer to it as the
> "collective" for want of a better word) needs to come to a consensus
> that this should be done.
>
> As I understand it, the first step towards that is a post on
> freebsd-arch@ proposing this work and why you think it is a good idea.
>
> Then, based upon the discussion/comments in response to this post, it will
> hopefully become fairly clear if the "collective" is in favour
> of doing this or not.
>
> Then, if the consensus is in favour, someone needs to do the
> coding. (I have volunteered to at least look at the kernel changes,
> but only the kernel changes.)
>

Okay. I've just got the go-ahead, and initial funding :)

Lionel