[Crash-utility] [RFI] Support Fujitsu's sadump dump format

[HATAYAMA Daisuke]

From: tachibana at mxm.nes.nec.co.jp
Subject: Re: [Crash-utility] [RFI] Support Fujitsu's sadump dump format
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:24:48 +0900

> Hi Hatayama-san,
> 
> On 2011/06/30 16:25:07 +0900, HATAYAMA Daisuke <d.hatayama at jp.fujitsu.com> wrote:
>> Hello Tachibana-san,
>> 
>> Thanks for your replying.
>> 
>> From: tachibana at mxm.nes.nec.co.jp
>> Subject: Re: [Crash-utility] [RFI] Support Fujitsu's sadump dump format
>> Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:58:46 +0900
>> 
>> > Hi Hatayama-san,
>> > 
>> > On 2011/06/29 12:12:18 +0900, HATAYAMA Daisuke <d.hatayama at jp.fujitsu.com> wrote:
>> >> From: Dave Anderson <anderson at redhat.com>
>> >> Subject: Re: [Crash-utility] [RFI] Support Fujitsu's sadump dump format
>> >> Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 08:57:42 -0400 (EDT)
>> >> 
>> >> > 
>> >> > 
>> >> > ----- Original Message -----
>> >> >> Fujitsu has stand-alone dump mechanism based on firmware level
>> >> >> functionality, which we call SADUMP, in short.
>> >> >> 
>> >> >> We've maintained utility tools internally but now we're thinking that
>> >> >> the best is crash utility and makedumpfile supports the sadump format
>> >> >> for the viewpoint of both portability and maintainability.
>> >> >> 
>> >> >> We'll be of course responsible for its maintainance in a continuous
>> >> >> manner. The sadump dump format is very similar to diskdump format and
>> >> >> so kdump (compressed) format, so we estimate patch set would be a
>> >> >> relatively small size.
>> >> >> 
>> >> >> Could you tell me whether crash utility and makedumpfile can support
>> >> >> the sadump format? If OK, we'll start to make patchset.
>> > 
>> > I think it's not bad to support sadump by makedumpfile. However I have 
>> > several questions.
>> > - Do you want to use makedumpfile to make an existing file that sadump has 
>> >   dumped small?
>> 
>> Of couse, it's one of the purposes. It's useful feature.
>> 
>> The first is to translate sadump format into the one crash utility can
>> recognize. makedumpfile is the standard tool to do it, and if
>> makdumpfile can support sadump format, I think it is the best.
>> 
>> > - It isn't possible to support the same form as kdump-compressed format 
>> >   now, is it?
>> 
>> I think it's technically possible but practically impossible. sadump is
>> a firmware and it is maintained by firmware team.
>> 
>> > - When the information that makedumpfile reads from a note of /proc/vmcore 
>> >   (or a header of kdump-compressed format) is added by an extension of 
>> >   makedumpfile, do you need to modify sadump?
>> 
>> Sorry, I've not investigated makedumpfile implementation enough yet.
>> 
>> But if I understand correctly, the current note information contained
>> in kdump-compressed format is NT_PRSTATUS and VMCOREINFO only, and for
>> them, sadump doesn't need to be modified. But it might need to be
>> modified if another kind of note is newly added.
> 
> Thank you for your explanation. I understood.
> I will merge patches for sadump if you will post them.
> 

It helps us a lot. Thanks.

I'll post a patch set after making it.
Wait for a while, please.

Thanks.
HATAYAMA, Daisuke