[Devel] Re: Containers Digest, Vol 24, Issue 82

[Peter Dolding]

> Daniel Lezcano <dlezcano at fr.ibm.com> writes:
>  * What are the problems that the linux community can solve with the
> checkpoint/restart ?
>
>        EB : Better to add a little CR functionnality into the kernel itself
> and add more after.
>
>        DLu : Problem with kernel version
>
>        OL : Compatibility with intermediate kernel version should be possible
> with userspace conversion tools

Please look at BSD Jails and Solaris Branded Zones.  Both provide
virtual of system calls.

Its a major reason why BSD can just change there syscalls at will and
still run old applications.   So really its another container in its
own right.   Inside this container system calls are fake.  Removing
system call dependency from containers.   Both allow virtual syscalls
to be done in user space.  It ends this problem of worrying about
kernel version.   Do we have the system call container ok we fine.
Slower if we have to use it but fine to get around these issues.

>        DLu : Non sequential file for checkpoint statefile is a challenge
>
>        OL : yes, but possible and useful for compression/encryption
>
>        We showed that there are five steps to realize a checkpoint:
>
>        1 - Pre-dump
>        2 - Freeze
>        3 - Dump
>        4 - Resume/kill
>        5 - Post-dump
>
>        At this point we state we want create a proof of concept and
> checkpoint/restart the simplest application.
>
>        We will add iteratively more and more kernel resources.
>
>        Process hierarchy created from kernel or userspace ?
>
>        OL : Seems better to send a chunk of data to kernel and that restores
> the processes hierarchy
>        PE : Agreed
>        OL : We should be able to checkpoint from inside the container, keep
> that in mind for later.
>
>        => we need a syscall or a ioctl
>
>        The first items to address before implementing the Checkpoint are:
>        1 - Make a container object (the context)
>        2 - Freeze the container (extend cgroup freezer ?)
>        3 - syscall | ioctl
>
>        First step:
>                * simplest application : A single process, without any file, no
> checkpoint of text file (same file system for restart), no signals, no
> syscall in the application, no ipc/no msgq, no network
>
>        Second step:
>                * multiple processes + zombie state
>
>        Third step:
>                * files, pipe, signals, socketpair ?
>
>        This proof of concept must came with a documentation describing what is
> supported, what is not supported and what we plan to do.
>
Missing critical Step 4.  How to deal with processes like games or
virus scanners  using hardware assist or cups half way threw printing
or other services half way threw doing something to a external device
who state is going to change.   That cannot be Frosen because the
state in those devices will be lost.   Even if there state could be
saved you might be unfreezing on a container without them.

Are the told to the user on freese and have to be terminated.

Are the told to user on freese  with the users with a option to go
past and user on unfreese has the option to have those applications
terminated to allow clean restart.

Of course the hard bit is going to be detecting them all.

There will always be the odd things.   Container freesing and
unfreesing could be aligned with the kernel level hibernate.  One
system does them both stable.

Peter Dolding
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