EVMS changes direction

[Posted November 6, 2002 by corbet]

The EVMS project is an IBM-sponsored effort to provide volume management services for Linux. EVMS had high hopes for inclusion in the 2.5 kernel, but, when it came down to the wire, Linus opted to merge LVM2 instead. LVM2 lacks many of the features and fancy GUI management tools found in EVMS, but the kernel developers found the code to be much more to their liking. So EVMS got left out in the cold.

Some developers, when their work is passed over for inclusion, complain at length on the linux-kernel list. Others simply take their marbles and go home. The EVMS project, instead, has decided to take a different approach: they will drop their kernel driver and rework their administration tools to work on top of LVM2 instead. The result, with luck, should be the best of both worlds for EVMS users: they get the well-respected management tools on top of the in-kernel LVM2 base.

This decision has been strongly applauded on the kernel list; the EVMS team even got a rare note of respect from Alexander Viro. It takes class to pick yourself up from a big disappointment and move forward with a new, better plan. EVMS should have a lot of support as it moves into the future.

EVMS changes direction

Posted Nov 8, 2002 2:24 UTC (Fri) by bronson (subscriber, #4806) [Link]

A week ago, this was looking to get ugly. People polarized into EVMS vs. LVM2 camps and started advocating. Situations like that become lose-lose rather quickly.

This one resulted in a win-win. The better kernel patch and the better userland tools both move into the future.

You've got to hand it to the EVMS team -- these guys are professionals.