Description of RFE: iSCSI support was added to anaconda sometime ago. That's an expensive option unavailable to some/most Linux users. I saw the patches post for the iSCSI support. I thought that the code could be adapted for ATA over Ethernet, AOE http://www.coraid.com/tech1.html. AOE has been in the kernel for sometime now. The benefit to Fedora or ES users is similar to Xen support. AOE allows a big file server to be a virtual hard drive dispenser for client PCs. PCs are great, but if drivers are made available for the OpenMoko and Maemo platforms, then Fedora could host embedded devices need for an occasional larger storage area via AOE disk files as hard drives too. The nslu2 has an example idea http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/Optware/Vblade . Perhaps a PC in the stereo rack would be quieter too. There's a lj article here http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8149 Things that may have to be considered: 1.) https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=381541 selinux configuration may have to be adapted. 2.) aoetools and perhaps the vblade tools will have to be available for anaconda to broadcast for available AOE drives. You do not have to have the Coraid hardware with the vblade tools http://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?release_id=465195&group_id=130453 . 3.) I believe the "Advanced storage configuration" button is where the anaconda change should be made http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Tours/Fedora8/005_Install_Partition 4.) Some sort of init script would be required. 5.) The init script may have to have, say, /etc/sysconfig/aoe information. 6.) The /boot partition may need some adjustsments so that that the kernel can load the drivers. 7.) Perhaps boot prom considerations are needed for diskless clients using a server with files uses as disk drives via vblade tools. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): 11.3.0.50 Additional info: AOE support should benefit other Red Hat products too.
Looks like there are a whole lot of components involved here. (1) is an SELinux problem, (2) is a problem of needing various tools packages in the distribution (which may already exist), and then added to anaconda, (3) is part of anaconda, (4) and (5) are init scripts, (6) and (7) at least involve various bootloaders, booty, mkinitrd, and possibly other components. This report can serve as the RFE for the anaconda components, but I think separate bugs need to be filed against all the other components as well to make sure they do their part. You may also want a tracker. Realistically, we're not going to do anything on anaconda until the other components are in and tested since otherwise there's nothing really for us to use. Getting this feature implemented is going to require a suitably motivated individual or group to shepherd it through the process, possibly helping out with testing and patching along the way. We haven't really heard much interest in adding this either from individuals or customers, this bug report excluded.
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