Subject: Re: rc, rc.subr, rc.conf, nfs-mounted /usr [was: Re: CVS commit:
To: Bill Studenmund <wrstuden@nas.nasa.gov>
From: Rob Windsor <windsor@warthog.com>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 01/12/2000 21:16:33
Verily did Bill Studenmund write:
> bcc'd to source changes, redirected to tech-userlevel
>>> Speaking as someone who mounts /usr over NFS regularly.. I'm none too
>>> happy about this change..
>> To be blunt, you're the minority these days. However, the change
>> shouldn't break you without any way to easily recover.
> I don't network mount /usr, but I don't hink we should be just zapping
> current users. :-)
Well, we didn't zap any current users, and my last change that triggered this
thread actually fixed the standard install. The nfs-mounted-/usr problems
existed already and somewhat snuck in through the pet door.
I think there are some bad assumptions that finger-point myself or Matthias as
the problem which isn't true, so I'd like to clarify the chain of events...
Matthias made a commit to rc.subr on July 7th to fix diskless. This should
also have made nfs-mount-/usr folks happy, also (I don't nfs-mount /usr, so I
can't be certain).
Many (ten) changes were made to rc since then, some obviously with no regards
to nfs-mounted-/usr folks, some even not paying attention to
critical_filesystems_beforenet and it's lack of /usr.
Enter me. I did a fresh -current install, and some of the items in rc were
broken. I poked around and determined that critical_filesystems_beforenet (in
rc.conf) needed /usr for the average everyday (majority) install. It was A
Simple Fix, so I believed (and still do) that no debate was needed to fix a
standard install.
Now, the problem is that rc makes assumptions that you have /usr up before the
network interfaces are configured.
I might reiterate that neither Matthias nor myself made these changes, but my
last commit to rc.conf has triggered the awareness.
Ok, I'm done with my defense. :>
>> The real problem is that starting up a network interface is becoming
>> harder and harder. You might want to run any number of programs
>> before you start up your network interfaces, or just after they're
>> ifconfig'd. For instance, I want to run gated, and I do so from
>> /etc/netstart.local, since that is the only place I can get it going
>> as soon as my interfaces are up.
>> Since gated is in /usr, I need /usr mounted first.
> Taken. But why change the default for everyone?
>> Perhaps we need a "/usr is NFS" switch, which will assume the admin
>> knows what is going on, and will continue to mount /usr late.
>> The normal case, where /usr isn't mounted via the network, should be
>> the default. I would estimate that 95% or more do not NFS mount /usr,
>> and those who do know a lot more about how to change things than the
>> average user.
I think this is the fundamental thing that needs to be hashed out, either here
or on -developers.
Someone needs to 'profile' rc(8) and determine _when_ /usr should be mounted
so that Things Don't Break.
> Well, this is now on tech-userlevel, where it should be discussed. :-)
> What do people think?
Sure, tech-userlevel is fine with me.
-- Rob
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