Filesystem-local databases in mlocate

[Axel Thimm]

On Tue, Mar 20, 2007 at 12:50:26AM +0100, Miloslav Trmac wrote:
> Axel Thimm napsal(a):
> > On Mon, Mar 19, 2007 at 11:51:19PM +0100, Miloslav Trmac wrote:
> >> Hello,
> >> Axel Thimm napsal(a):
> >>>> * locate(1)'s default database is not just /var/lib/mlocate/mlocate.db;
> >>>>   mlocate also checks each mounted filesystem for a .mlocate/mlocate.db
> >>>>   file, owned by root or the invoking user, and not writable by anyone
> >>>>   but the owner.  Such files are automatically added to the database
> >>>>   path.
> >>> locate should also include .mlocate/mlocate.db a previous updatedb has
> >>> found and skipped. E.g. if updatedb detects a .mlocate/mlocate.db in a
> >>> folder in its path it skips it and registers it for locate to use.
> >> I can't think of a reason why they would be necessary.
> > Consider for example a single volume nfs server exporting /home. So
> > you want to have updatedb create a subdirectory-local db in /home, so
> > it can be used on remote clients.
> But on the client, where locate runs, /home/foo would be a separate
> filesystem.

Yes, but updatedb (and locate) runs also on the server.

> As for updatedb,
> > And instead of having to configure it in /etc/sysconfig it is easier
> > to keep the metainformation of about where such .mlocate/mlocate.db
> > should be maintained in the fs itself simply by creating the folder
> > .mlocate.
> wouldn't it be even more practical to support
> FS_DB_GLOB=/srv/home/*
> in /etc/sysconfig/mlocate ?

It's better not to have any knowledge under /etc of where special
.mlocate/mlocate.db are injected on the (local) filesystem. Consider
the (local) volume in question to be mounted from a SAN device, maybe
even in a cluster active/passive setup. Or consider moving a data disk
from one system to another.

It's better to try and keep the metainformation non-global (e.g. out
of /etc) and self-describing, so it is rather transparent for the
admin. Otherwise he needs to cater for any change of host <-> storage
mapping in mlocate as well.
-- 
Axel.Thimm at ATrpms.net
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