nbdkit-nozero-filter - Man Page

 nbdkit --filter=nozero plugin [plugin-args...] \
   [zeromode=MODE] [fastzeromode=MODE]

nbdkit-nozero-filter is a filter that intentionally disables efficient handling of sparse file holes (ranges of all-zero bytes) across the NBD protocol.  It is mainly useful for evaluating timing differences between naive vs. sparse-aware connections, and for testing client or server fallbacks.

The parameters zeromode and fastzeromode are optional and control which mode the filter will use.

zeromode=none

Zero support is not advertised to the client; clients must explicitly write any regions of zero like any other normal write.

This is the default if the zeromode parameter is not specified.

zeromode=emulate

Zero support is advertised, but emulated by the filter by using the plugin's pwrite callback, regardless of whether the plugin itself has a more efficient zero callback.

zeromode=notrim

(nbdkit ≥ 1.14)

Zero requests are forwarded on to the plugin, except that the plugin will never see the NBDKIT_MAY_TRIM flag.  This can help determine if the client permitting trimming during zero operations makes a difference.  It is an error to request this mode if the plugin lacks the zero callback.

zeromode=plugin

(nbdkit ≥ 1.16)

Zero requests are forwarded on to the plugin, unchanged by the filter; this mode is helpful when experimenting with the fastzeromode parameter.  It is an error to request this mode if the plugin lacks the zero callback.

fastzeromode=none

(nbdkit ≥ 1.16)

Support for fast zeroing is not advertised to the client.

fastzeromode=slow

(nbdkit ≥ 1.16)

Fast zero support is advertised to the client, but all fast zero requests result in an immediate ENOTSUP failure rather than performing any fallback attempts.

fastzeromode=ignore

(nbdkit ≥ 1.16)

This mode is unsafe: Fast zero support is advertised to the client, but all fast zero requests behave as if the fast zero flag had not been included.  This behavior is typically contrary to the NBD specification, but can be useful for comparison against the actual fast zero implementation to see if fast zeroes make a difference.

fastzeromode=default

(nbdkit ≥ 1.16)

This mode is the default.  When paired with zeromode=emulate, fast zeroes are advertised but fast zero requests always fail (similar to slow); when paired with zeromode=notrim or zeromode=plugin, fast zero support is left to the plugin (although in the latter case, the nozero filter could be omitted for the same behavior).

Serve the file disk.img, but force the client to write zeroes explicitly rather than with NBD_CMD_WRITE_ZEROES:

 nbdkit --filter=nozero file disk.img

Serve the file disk.img, allowing the client to take advantage of less network traffic via NBD_CMD_WRITE_ZEROES, but fail any fast zero requests up front and force all other zero requests to write data explicitly rather than punching any holes:

 nbdkit --filter=nozero file zeromode=emulate disk.img

Serve the file disk.img, but do not advertise fast zero support to the client even if the plugin supports it:

 nbdkit --filter=nozero file zeromode=plugin fastzeromode=none disk.img

$filterdir/nbdkit-nozero-filter.so

The filter.

Use nbdkit --dump-config to find the location of $filterdir.

nbdkit-nozero-filter first appeared in nbdkit 1.4.

nbdkit(1), nbdkit-file-plugin(1), nbdkit-filter(3), nbdkit-fua-filter(1), nbdkit-multi-conn-filter(1), nbdkit-nocache-filter(1), nbdkit-noparallel-filter(1), nbdkit-noextents-filter(1).

Eric Blake

Copyright Red Hat

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

• Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
• Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
• Neither the name of Red Hat nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY RED HAT AND CONTRIBUTORS ''AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL RED HAT OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

nbdkit(1), nbdkit-exportname-filter(1), nbdkit-filter(3), nbdkit-fua-filter(1), nbdkit-multi-conn-filter(1), nbdkit-nocache-filter(1), nbdkit-noextents-filter(1), nbdkit-noparallel-filter(1), nbdkit-plugin(3), nbdkit-release-notes-1.4(1).