linux-ext4 - Re: raid is dangerous but that's secret (was Re: [patch] ext2/3: document conditions when reliable operation is possible)

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Message-ID: <20091109105054.GA8750@elf.ucw.cz>
Date:	Mon, 9 Nov 2009 11:50:54 +0100
From:	Pavel Machek <pavel@....cz>
To:	NeilBrown <neilb@...e.de>
Cc:	Ric Wheeler <rwheeler@...hat.com>, Rob Landley <rob@...dley.net>,
	Theodore Tso <tytso@....edu>, Florian Weimer <fweimer@....de>,
	Goswin von Brederlow <goswin-v-b@....de>,
	kernel list <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...l.org>, mtk.manpages@...il.com,
	rdunlap@...otime.net, linux-doc@...r.kernel.org,
	linux-ext4@...r.kernel.org, corbet@....net
Subject: Re: raid is dangerous but that's secret (was Re: [patch] ext2/3:
 document conditions when reliable operation is possible)

Hi!

> >> If you have a specific bug in MD code, please propose a patch.
> >
> > Interesting. So, what's technically wrong with the patch below?
> >
> 
> You mean apart from ".... that high highly undesirable ...." ??
>                                ^^^^^^^^^^^
> 

Ok, I still believe kernel documentation should be ... well... in
kernel, not in LWN article, so I fixed the patch according to your
comments.

Signed-off-by: Pavel Machek <pavel@....cz>

diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/dangers.txt b/Documentation/filesystems/dangers.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14d0324
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/filesystems/dangers.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+There are storage devices that have highly undesirable properties when
+they are disconnected or suffer power failures while writes are in
+progress; such devices include flash devices and degraded DM/MD RAID
+4/5/6 (*) arrays.  These devices have the property of potentially
+corrupting blocks being written at the time of the power failure, and
+worse yet, amplifying the region where blocks are corrupted such that
+additional sectors are also damaged during the power failure.
+        
+Users who use such storage devices are well advised take
+countermeasures, such as the use of Uninterruptible Power Supplies,
+and making sure the flash device is not hot-unplugged while the device
+is being used.  Regular backups when using any devices, and these
+devices in particular is also a Very Good Idea.
+        
+Otherwise, file systems placed on these devices can suffer silent data
+and file system corruption.  An forced use of fsck may detect metadata
+corruption resulting in file system corruption, but will not suffice
+to detect data corruption.
+
+(*) If device failure causes the array to become degraded during or
+immediately after the power failure, the same problem can result.

									Pavel
-- 
(english) http://www.livejournal.com/~pavelmachek
(cesky, pictures) http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~pavel/picture/horses/blog.html
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