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Permissions db in "mounted-over /dev" <-> "normal directory"

To: devfs@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Permissions db in "mounted-over /dev" <-> "normal directory"
From: Robert Siemer <Robert.Siemer@xxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 11:25:10 +0200
Reply-to: Robert Siemer <siemer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sender: owner-devfs@xxxxxxxxxxx
Hi!

Until today I was clueless what the difference between
"Permissions database stored in mounted-over /dev" and
"Permissions database stored in normal directory" is.

(http://www.atnf.csiro.au/~rgooch/linux/docs/devfs.html#persistence)

Main problem was missing documentation of "mount --bind" as my old
mount man page did not mentioned it. I upgraded "mount" but "--bind"
is still missing in the man page. Just the command on its own gave a
clue:

One can also mount an already visible directory tree elsewhere:
       mount --bind olddir newdir

Now I see the difference in both mentioned approaches - there is
nearly no one!

In the end (everything is mounted) both solution have their database
in /dev-state and devfs in (e.g.) /dev.

While unmounted you can see it this way:
mounted-over /dev:
 -/dev       is holding the database (and mountpoint, too)
 -/dev-state is empty (mountpoint only)
normal directory:
 -/dev       is empty (mountpoint only)
 -/dev-state is holding the database


I hope I'm correct here... If I am it would be good to mention this in
.../devfs.html.

And as "mounted-over /dev" needs a new mount and recent kernel: what's
its gain?



Bye,
        Robert

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