From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Jun 23 20:24:27 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B99D41065670 for ; Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:24:27 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from thacker.nirmal@gmail.com) Received: from mail-qy0-f186.google.com (mail-qy0-f186.google.com [209.85.221.186]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3F5F18FC1E for ; Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:24:26 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from thacker.nirmal@gmail.com) Received: by qyk16 with SMTP id 16so445628qyk.3 for ; Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:24:26 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:received:date:message-id:subject :from:to:content-type; bh=83PBrARjuPWspmDQqzuMZ6fT8KaHqpFhtug9NUu0HII=; b=x8hLsirfZ2+iBZHlBHY3aoGIPgA1SQZsry/5uIeJNIEyXPhDIj6yXmNWEaLwJHbXqh sY/V7WHeJaKzj7G6lnd4lSsstAgGuFuvPZW9cnkv30Ah5uZVCSU1UJkn9qxz+dKKbYr0 GaAcl470mz9FoKIm1WXIxcRwBWrlolo8vCrT8= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:date:message-id:subject:from:to:content-type; b=gaBx/6RxaXFcYyq3ZeoG8SBc2nlye4SF0f8OlafYzH/bIqzDC5pwblzrE9DGA+MZjQ 1UaCCtysy/u5gs6r/1pA1LbFG0FMKUiVAnfGJySufp+OyXug5qVodUoYpWr65eXO7kvf KG+I/tl4LOg9Oxaxk7v8CBNeXgvlyJiaCdgaQ= MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.220.92.212 with SMTP id s20mr779926vcm.91.1245786724853; Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:52:04 -0700 (PDT) Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:52:04 -0400 Message-ID: <87429ffe0906231252j7c84489dt6ebd60333654f411@mail.gmail.com> From: Nirmal Thacker To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Subject: Dump Utility cache efficiency analysis X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:24:28 -0000 Hello This is regarding the dump utility cache efficiency analysis post made on February '07 by Peter Jeremy [ http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-hackers/2007-February/019666.html] and if this project is still open. I would be interested to begin exploring FreeBSD (and contributing) by starting this project. I do have some basic understanding of the problem at hand - to determine if a unified cache would appeal as a more efficient/elegant solution compared to the per-process-cache in the Dump utility implementation. I admit I am new to this list and FreeBSD so I wouldn't be able to determine what the current implementation is, until I get started. I would first like to understand the opinions of anyone who has looked at this problem or think this would be a worthwhile project to start off with. I would also appreciate if I could get simple tips and pointers of setting up my machine for the project. I understand this would be on the lines of: 1. Installing a stable FreeBSD build 2. Check out a version of the Build suitable for the project 3. Pointers to begin studying the current implementation in the code-tree structure (would I expect it to lie in the fs/ directory?). I tried to find it in the FreeBSD cross reference (http://fxr.watson.org/) 4. Read some important sections of the developer handbook (some suggestions would be great) Lastly- does this project require the know-how's of device drivers? If so, I would have to work harder. Thanks a lot! - nirmal