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

[tachibana at mxm.nes.nec.co.jp]

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.


Thanks.
tachibana

> 
> Thanks.
> HATAYAMA, Daisuke
>