Distribution plans of systemd developers
First Fruits
Getting all the pieces of the puzzle to fit will take some time. Currently, the developers are working on a stateless mode for Linux [8]. This is intended to give distribution providers the option of storing all relevant files in /usr. At the same time, these systems should still boot (even if the /etc and /var directories are empty) and then receive default configurations via systemd components.
This step would, for example, make it possible to operate a /usr tree as a verified golden master on a network and feed individual configurations to the instances via /etc and /var.
The concept also supports factory resets or stateless reboots whose first embodiments have already made their way into systemd 215 and 216. In the meantime, systemd developer Harald Hoyer is working on send-and-receive images based on Fedora.
Because they are aware that many users are more critical of this kind of disruption and that numerous administrators will continue to rely on Linux with classical filesystems, the developers are also keeping an alternative in the back drawer: If you would like to test the new schema, for example, on traditional ext4-based computers, you can create loopback images of Btrfs in /var.
Infos
- Poettering's plans for Linux: http://0pointer.net/blog/revisiting-how-we-put-together-linux-systems.html
- Docker: https://www.docker.com
- CoreOS: https://coreos.com
- OSTree: https://wiki.gnome.org/OSTree
- Autopackage: https://code.google.com/p/autopackage/
- Zero Install: https://0install.de
- Google Plus discussion: https://plus.google.com/+LennartPoetteringTheOneAndOnly/posts/fhUPLrVvTY5
- Stateless Linux: http://0pointer.net/blog/projects/stateless.html
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