Merge pull request #85 from alessandrocarminati/main

SCSI Probe feature note

scsi_probe.note.md

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+# SCSI Probe note
+
+This note aims to provide information to the addition of SCSI probe
+functionality.
+The focus here is on addressing a particular practice among certain silicon
+vendors BSPs, where they partition storage devices into multiple LUNs and
+partitions.
+A notable scenario involves fragmenting a single UFS memory device into 8
+LUNs and over 100 partitions.
+In such cases, the boot sequence for these devices can experience
+significant delays due to the enumeration of numerous partitions, often with
+data that is only required later in the boot sequence or not needed at all.
+
+By default, the kernel scans all channels, targets, and LUNs of SCSI devices,
+as the UFS interface provides to the operating system.
+Consequently, the OS spends time enumerating all found partitions.
+To address this issue, the SCSI Probe feature requires that the kernel does
+not automatically scan all SCSI targets (`scsi_mod.scan=manual` kernel boot
+argument).
+Instead, it allows specifying the LUN where the root filesystem is located.
+
+The mechanism for specifying the LUN can be achieved either via the kernel
+command line (`scsi.addr=<host>:<channel>:<target>:<lun>`) or by adding a
+line to the `initoverlayfs.config` file 
+(`scsi.addr <host>:<channel>:<target>:<lun>`).
+If both methods are used, the configuration in the `initoverlayfs.config` file
+takes precedence.
+
+It's important to note that the presence of the `scsi_mod.scan=manual` kernel
+argument is essential for any operation to occur.
+If this argument is not included in the kernel command line, no action will
+be taken.
+
+Although the feature was specifically developed for the UFS use case, it is
+intended to function with all SCSI `sd` devices.
+
+# build initoverlayfs with SCSI Probe support
+
+At the time of writing this document, there is no sophisticated build system
+in place for initoverlayfs.
+The functionality related to SCSI Probe relies on the `SCSI_PROBE` symbol,
+which must be passed during the build process.
+Presently, the build steps are specified in the `initoverlayfs.spec.in` file.
+To compile initoverlayfs with SCSI Probe support, you need to modify
+`initoverlayfs.spec.in` by adding `-D SCSI_PROBE` to the `RPM_OPT_FLAGS`
+variable. Alternatively, you can compile it manually, as demonstrated below:
+```
+gcc -static -D SCSI_PROBE -Os initoverlayfs.c \
+        /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libblkid.a scsi_probe/scsi_probe.c \
+        -o initoverlayfs
+```
+
+This modification alone may be sufficient, as the target for manual scanning
+can be specified using kernel boot arguments.
+However, if you prefer to specify it using `initoverlayfs.conf`, you may need
+to modify the `scripts/build.sh` script to add a line to the configuration it
+generates.
+
+# Test with qemu
+
+As mentioned, the feature is tailored specifically for embedded/mobile
+devices utilizing UFS as storage. While it's designed to be compatible
+with any SCSI setup, it's advisable for individuals to test it in a
+nearly real-world scenario before deploying it in production.
+
+Since September 2023 mapping Version `8.0`, qemu has offered UFS PCI
+emulation.
+
+With qemu supporting UFS, here's an example command to test UFS:
+
+```
+qemu-system-x86_64 -m 512M -nographic -smp 1 -kernel ./bzImage \
+        -initrd \initramfs.img \
+	-append "console=ttyS0 pippo raid=noautodetect init=/sbin/init scsi_mod.scan=manual" \
+	-device ufs,id=bus0 -device ufs-lu,drive=ufs1,bus=bus0,lun=0 \
+        -drive if=none,file=ufsimage.img,format=raw,id=ufs1
+```