MOUNT_LOOPBACK(8) BSD System Manager's Manual MOUNT_LOOPBACK(8)NAME
mount_loopback - mount a loopback filesystem sub-tree; demonstrate the
use of a null file system layer
SYNOPSIS
mount_loopback [-o options] target mount-point
DESCRIPTION
The mount_loopback command creates a null layer, duplicating a sub-tree
of the file system name space under another part of the global file sys-
tem namespace. This allows existing files and directories to be accessed
using a different pathname.
The primary differences between a virtual copy of the filesystem and a
symbolic link are that getcwd(3) functions correctly in the virtual copy,
and that other filesystems may be mounted on the virtual copy without af-
fecting the original. A different device number for the virtual copy is
returned by stat(2), but in other respects it is indistinguishable from
the original.
The mount_loopback filesystem differs from a traditional loopback file
system in two respects: it is implemented using stackable layers, and
it's ``null-node'' s stack above all lower-layer vnodes, not just over
directory vnodes.
The options are as follows:
-o Options are specified with a -o flag followed by a comma separat-
ed string of options. See the mount(8) man page for possible op-
tions and their meanings.
The null layer has two purposes. First, it serves as a demonstration of
layering by proving a layer which does nothing. (It actually does every-
thing the loopback file system does, which is slightly more than noth-
ing.) Second, the null layer can serve as a prototype layer. Since it
provides all necessary layer framework, new file system layers can be
created very easily be starting with a null layer.
The remainder of this man page examines the null layer as a basis for
constructing new layers.
INSTANTIATING NEW NULL LAYERS
New null layers are created with mount_loopback(8). Mount_loopback(8)
takes two arguments, the pathname of the lower vfs (target-pn) and the
pathname where the null layer will appear in the namespace (mount-point-
pn). After the null layer is put into place, the contents of target-pn
subtree will be aliased under mount-point-pn.
OPERATION OF A NULL LAYER
The null layer is the minimum file system layer, simply bypassing all
possible operations to the lower layer for processing there. The majori-
ty of its activity centers on the bypass routine, though which nearly all
vnode operations pass.
The bypass routine accepts arbitrary vnode operations for handling by the
lower layer. It begins by examining vnode operation arguments and re-
placing any null-nodes by their lower-layer equivalents. It then invokes
the operation on the lower layer. Finally, it replaces the null-nodes in
the arguments and, if a vnode is returned by the operation, stacks a
null-node on top of the returned vnode.
Although bypass handles most operations, vop_getattr, vop_inactive,
vop_reclaim, and vop_print are not bypassed. Vop_getattr must change the
fsid being returned. Vop_inactive and vop_reclaim are not bypassed so
that they can handle freeing null-layer specific data. Vop_print is not
bypassed to avoid excessive debugging information.
INSTANTIATING VNODE STACKS
Mounting associates the null layer with a lower layer, in effect stacking
two VFSes. Vnode stacks are instead created on demand as files are ac-
cessed.
The initial mount creates a single vnode stack for the root of the new
null layer. All other vnode stacks are created as a result of vnode op-
erations on this or other null vnode stacks.
New vnode stacks come into existence as a result of an operation which
returns a vnode. The bypass routine stacks a null-node above the new vn-
ode before returning it to the caller.
For example, imagine mounting a null layer with
mount_loopback /usr/include /dev/layer/null
Changing directory to /dev/layer/null will assign the root null-node
(which was created when the null layer was mounted). Now consider open-
ing sys. A vop_lookup would be done on the root null-node. This opera-
tion would bypass through to the lower layer which would return a vnode
representing the UFS sys. Null_bypass then builds a null-node aliasing
the UFS sys and returns this to the caller. Later operations on the
null-node sys will repeat this process when constructing other vnode
stacks.
CREATING OTHER FILE SYSTEM LAYERS
One of the easiest ways to construct new file system layers is to make a
copy of the null layer, rename all files and variables, and then begin
modifying the copy. The sed(1) utility can be used to easily rename all
variables.
The umap layer is an example of a layer descended from the null layer.
INVOKING OPERATIONS ON LOWER LAYERS
There are two techniques to invoke operations on a lower layer when the
operation cannot be completely bypassed. Each method is appropriate in
different situations. In both cases, it is the responsibility of the
aliasing layer to make the operation arguments "correct" for the lower
layer by mapping an vnode arguments to the lower layer.
The first approach is to call the aliasing layer's bypass routine. This
method is most suitable when you wish to invoke the operation currently
being handled on the lower layer. It has the advantage the the bypass
routine already must do argument mapping. An example of this is
null_getattrs in the null layer.
A second approach is to directly invoked vnode operations on the lower
layer with the VOP_OPERATIONNAME interface. The advantage of this method
is that it is easy to invoke arbitrary operations on the lower layer.
The disadvantage is that vnodes arguments must be manually mapped.
SEE ALSOmount(8)
UCLA Technical Report CSD-910056, Stackable Layers: an Architecture for
File System Development.
HISTORY
The mount_null utility first appeared in 4.4BSD. It was renamed
mount_loopback in BSD/OS 4.0 to be consistent with the name used in the
kernel. The mount(8) program still recognizes the null filesystm type as
an alias for loopback.