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SubjectRe: SCSI device numbering
torvalds@cs.helsinki.fi (Linus Torvalds)  wrote on 03.07.96 in <Pine.LNX.3.91.960703123243.14954H-100000@linux.cs.Helsinki.FI>:

> Now, I suggest we _also_ do a dynamic filesystem name mapping (so that you
> can have a fixed name even if you move a disk from one controller to
> another), but that would be a user-level issue and it's a "secondary" way to
> view the system (it simply cannot be the primary way, because it _cannot_ be
> made to work in all circumstances - two identical disks simply cannot be
> distinguished from each other in such a way that you could move them around
> and let the kernel notice).

Let me repeat my suggestion.

1. Find a way to give names to every partition, either in the partition
table (this is already implemented on the Mac, for example), or in the
partition itself (FAT and HPFS already have this).

2. Find a way (for example, /proc/partition) to get a list of all
currently-available partitions.

3. Create a new syntax for mount (and /etc/fstab, and fsck, and ...) so
you can mount partitions by name. Something like "mount part:usr /usr"
might de an idea.

Yes, there are ways this can fail: you can have partitions without a name
available, or multiple partitions with the same name. However, these are
problems the system administrator can prevent. And you can always fallback
to the old /dev/sdc13 method of doing things.

This completely eliminates the need for a new SCSI disk numbering scheme,
and puts most of the code to implement this in user mode. And arbitrary
partition names are a lot easier to remember than /dev/whatever names
based on the hardware configuration.

MfG Kai


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