Subject: Re: [vserver] vserver-patch and util-vserver version (Kernel 2.6.36)
From: Herbert Poetzl <herbert@13thfloor.at>
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2010 02:51:53 +0100

On Sat, Dec 04, 2010 at 02:08:23PM +0100, Adrian Reyer wrote:
> Hi,

> for various reasons I compiled myself a 2.6.36.1 including 
> the VServer-Patch for 2.6.36, vserver-stat works, vserver 
> start fails 'vc_set_sched(): Function not implemented', 

yes, the scheduler is gone for some time now, we
recently removed the 'dummy' interfaces ...

> util-vserver tried are 0.30.216~r2772-6 and 
> 0.30.216-pre2864-2+b1, both Debian packages.

and both too old for that kernel :)

> I am aware there are more recent tools, though I am not aware 
> there are ready-made debian packages.

that's something you want to talk with your distro
maintainers about ...

> Is there any way to see the minimum required util-vserver 
> version for some tool? 

depends, the kernel advertises a certain API, which
to some degree (as far as mainline permits it) is
backwards compatible (the VCI version below), but
there is no 1:1 relation between VCI version change
and util-vserver version update ...

> And if so, would it be possible to just add that info to the
> matrix at http://linux-vserver.org/?

possible, yes, feasible, no ... mainly because the
matrix is auto generated from the upload server(s)

but if you like to do an extensive version test and
comparison, publish and maintain the results, you
could make your own wiki page for that ...

> If I use the most recent tools now and go back to my previous 
> kernel with some older vserver patch, will this work? 

util-vserver is and always was backwards compatible
over a long range of kernels, of course, without
special configuration you won't be able to use it
on older 2.4 kernels :)

> In other words: are
> util-vserver backward compatible at least within 2.3 branch?

yes, definitely, i.e. unless you pick a broken kernel
like the debian 2.6.26 one, you should be quite fine
even with relatively old kernels and most recent
util-vserver ...

best,
Herbert

> Specific versions are:
> Kernel 2.6.32.5:
> VCIVersion:     0002:0305
> VCISyscall:     236
> VCIKernel:      13000ff1

> Kernel 2.6.36.1:
> VCIVersion:     0002:0307
> VCISyscall:     236
> VCIKernel:      13000fd1

> Regards,
> 	Adrian
> -- 
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