Robert Michel wrote:
> Salve Thiemo!
>
> Thiemo Seufer schrieb am Samstag, den 05. Februar 2005 um 18:41h:
> > MIPS kernels are usually position dependent code, and loaded in
> > unmapped memory, so a kernel would need to overwrite itself for
> > kexec. I don't know if kexec is flexible enough to handle this.
[snip]
> The task of overwriting the old kernel with the new one
> is done in three stages:
>
> 1. Copy the new kernel into memory.
> 2. Move this kernel image into dynamic kernel memory.
> 3. Copy this image into the real destination (overwriting the current
> kernel), and start the new kernel.
Ok, so is no exception WRT.
> > Frankly, I don't see what kexec is good for. Who else besides
> > kernel developers would need to reboot a machine continuously?
>
> Does GRUB run on MIPS?
No.
> Does GRUB support SSH2?
No idea.
> Does most MIPS bootlaoders support USB-sticks or booting via VPNs?
There are various, and usually they are open source, ao adding such
features shouldn't be a problem.
[snip]
> - making developing and hacking more easy
Usually done via netboot or JTAG download.
> - booting with options
> - choice which kernel to boot
> - booting from original not supported devices (usb, network)
> - remote control for the boot process
> - bypassing memoryrestrictions of the bootloader
> - more flexibility - independance from proprietary bootloader
Those things should be fixed in the bootloader.
> - developing security, statistic features...
> - fail save boot
> - starting restore system, analyse tools....
> - option for modular system
?
> - for upgrades lower downtimes (Router, Firewalls....)
30 seconds for the tftp, and you have to hope the previous
kernel left everything in a sane state.
> - perversive computing, the box could be on a place without
> physicaly access
You don't want to do that without a safe fallback (aka serial console).
> - the kernel would be more often updated, than the bootloader
> - just for fun
> - just because it could be usefull - an implemented feature
> may become the base for other features - unthinkable before
> this first step
> - ...
>
> So my point is not to boot a machine continuously,
> but to expand the bootchain:
>
> IMHO would be the most powerfull and flexible way
> to boot a linux kernel,
> to boot it just from an other linux kernel.
> ;)
What if any of both is buggy? Either you have a working fallback,
or you'll be screwed sooner or later.
Thiemo
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