[OpenIndiana-discuss] Split-root installations

[Jim Klimov]

Hello all,

   For years I've mentioned "split-root" installations of Solaris-like
systems in such a way that the root filesystem (the BE) is represented
by several datasets, such as a split-off /usr dataset. Also there may
be some datasets shared between boot environments, such as the sinks
for logs and crashdumps, and not all of these are required to live on
the rpool at all. There are cases when all such tweaks may be desirable.

   I've finally summarized my notes and polished the scripts, culminating
(so far) in a Wiki article for those interested in the subject (as well
as my own future reference), enjoy and constructively criticize too:
   http://wiki.openindiana.org/oi/Advanced+-+Split-root+installation
(!) Beware of possibly lurking bugs, I have yet to copy-paste this
published version of the instructions into a VM to verify that all
is crystal-correct.

   On a more serious note, I'd like to upstream the changes I made to
the SMF method scripts which mount the boot environment (the Wiki page
describes the changes in great enough detail, I hope), so I guess some
review of these fixes is in order.

   The full scripts are:
http://wiki.openindiana.org/download/attachments/27230229/fs-root
http://wiki.openindiana.org/download/attachments/27230229/fs-usr
http://wiki.openindiana.org/download/attachments/27230229/fs-minimal

   And the patch-file with changes is:
http://wiki.openindiana.org/download/attachments/27230229/fs-splitroot-fix.patch

   Other things on my wishlist include packaging update for delivery
of /sbin/sh as a proper file with dependency libraries in /lib (not
as files in /usr/*), and beadm support for replication of customized
ZFS attributes when a BE is cloned. Both procedures are described as
(currently) inconvenient workarounds in the article; proper solution
should be centralized and standardized in the newer distros of course :)
I think I posted issues in the tracker for at least some of those
points back in the day (maybe a couple of years now), will update
the Wiki page with links if I find them ;)

Thanks and HTH,
//Jim Klimov
unchaining myself from the keyboard and logging off into sleep mode ;)