device usage based on devices file

The LVM devices file lists devices that lvm can use.  The default
file is /etc/lvm/devices/system.devices, and the lvmdevices(8)
command is used to add or remove device entries.  If the file
does not exist, or if lvm.conf includes use_devicesfile=0, then
lvm will not use a devices file.  When the devices file is in use,
the regex filter is not used, and the filter settings in lvm.conf
or on the command line are ignored.

LVM records devices in the devices file using hardware-specific
IDs, such as the WWID, and attempts to use subsystem-specific
IDs for virtual device types.  These device IDs are also written
in the VG metadata.  When no hardware or virtual ID is available,
lvm falls back using the unstable device name as the device ID.
When devnames are used, lvm performs extra scanning to find
devices if their devname changes, e.g. after reboot.

When proper device IDs are used, an lvm command will not look
at devices outside the devices file, but when devnames are used
as a fallback, lvm will scan devices outside the devices file
to locate PVs on renamed devices.  A config setting
search_for_devnames can be used to control the scanning for
renamed devname entries.

Related to the devices file, the new command option
--devices <devnames> allows a list of devices to be specified for
the command to use, overriding the devices file.  The listed
devices act as a sort of devices file in terms of limiting which
devices lvm will see and use.  Devices that are not listed will
appear to be missing to the lvm command.

Multiple devices files can be kept in /etc/lvm/devices, which
allows lvm to be used with different sets of devices, e.g.
system devices do not need to be exposed to a specific application,
and the application can use lvm on its own set of devices that are
not exposed to the system.  The option --devicesfile <filename> is
used to select the devices file to use with the command.  Without
the option set, the default system devices file is used.

Setting --devicesfile "" causes lvm to not use a devices file.

An existing, empty devices file means lvm will see no devices.

The new command vgimportdevices adds PVs from a VG to the devices
file and updates the VG metadata to include the device IDs.
vgimportdevices -a will import all VGs into the system devices file.

LVM commands run by dmeventd not use a devices file by default,
and will look at all devices on the system.  A devices file can
be created for dmeventd (/etc/lvm/devices/dmeventd.devices)  If
this file exists, lvm commands run by dmeventd will use it.

Internal implementaion:

- device_ids_read - read the devices file
  . add struct dev_use (du) to cmd->use_devices for each devices file entry
- dev_cache_scan - get /dev entries
  . add struct device (dev) to dev_cache for each device on the system
- device_ids_match - match devices file entries to /dev entries
  . match each du on cmd->use_devices to a dev in dev_cache, using device ID
  . on match, set du->dev, dev->id, dev->flags MATCHED_USE_ID
- label_scan - read lvm headers and metadata from devices
  . filters are applied, those that do not need data from the device
  . filter-deviceid skips devs without MATCHED_USE_ID, i.e.
    skips /dev entries that are not listed in the devices file
  . read lvm label from dev
  . filters are applied, those that use data from the device
  . read lvm metadata from dev
  . add info/vginfo structs for PVs/VGs (info is "lvmcache")
- device_ids_find_renamed_devs - handle devices with unstable devname ID
  where devname changed
  . this step only needed when devs do not have proper device IDs,
    and their dev names change, e.g. after reboot sdb becomes sdc.
  . detect incorrect match because PVID in the devices file entry
    does not match the PVID found when the device was read above
  . undo incorrect match between du and dev above
  . search system devices for new location of PVID
  . update devices file with new devnames for PVIDs on renamed devices
  . label_scan the renamed devs
- continue with command processing

7 files changed, 82 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/man/Makefile.in b/man/Makefile.in
index 114e92b2a..3d4569673 100644
--- a/man/Makefile.in
+++ b/man/Makefile.in
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ MAN8=lvm.8 lvmdump.8 lvm-fullreport.8 lvm-lvpoll.8 \
      vgck.8 vgcreate.8 vgconvert.8 vgdisplay.8 vgexport.8 vgextend.8 \
      vgimport.8 vgimportclone.8 vgmerge.8 vgmknodes.8 vgreduce.8 vgremove.8 \
      vgrename.8 vgs.8 vgscan.8 vgsplit.8 \
-     lvmsar.8 lvmsadc.8 lvmdiskscan.8
+     lvmsar.8 lvmsadc.8 lvmdiskscan.8 lvmdevices.8 vgimportdevices.8
 MAN8SO=lvm-config.8 lvm-dumpconfig.8
 MAN8DM=dmsetup.8 dmstats.8
 MAN8CLUSTER=
diff --git a/man/lvm.8_main b/man/lvm.8_main
index 9816f5fb6..ba151e367 100644
--- a/man/lvm.8_main
+++ b/man/lvm.8_main
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ Make exported Volume Groups known to the system.
 .B vgimportclone
 Import and rename duplicated Volume Group (e.g. a hardware snapshot).
 .TP
+.B vgimportdevices
+Add PVs from a VG to the devices file.
+.TP
 .B vgmerge
 Merge two Volume Groups.
 .TP
@@ -218,6 +221,9 @@ Extend the size of a Logical Volume.
 Display the configuration information after
 loading \fBlvm.conf\fP(5) and any other configuration files.
 .TP
+.B lvmdevices
+Manage the devices file.
+.TP
 .B lvmdiskscan
 Scan for all devices visible to LVM2.
 .TP
diff --git a/man/lvmdevices.8_des b/man/lvmdevices.8_des
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a04a66683
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/lvmdevices.8_des
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+The LVM devices file lists devices that lvm can use.  The default file is
+/etc/lvm/devices/system.devices, and the lvmdevices(8) command is used to
+add or remove device entries.  If the file does not exist, or if lvm.conf
+includes use_devicesfile=0, then lvm will not use a devices file.
+
+To use a device with lvm, add it to the devices file with the command
+lvmdevices --adddev, and to prevent lvm from seeing or using a device,
+remove it from the devices file with lvmdevices --deldev.  The
+vgimportdevices(8) command adds all PVs from a VG to the devices file,
+and updates the VG metadata to include device IDs of the PVs.
+
+Commands adding new devices to the devices file necessarily look outside
+the existing devices file to find the devices to add.  pvcreate, vgcreate,
+and vgextend also look outside the devices file to create new PVs and add
+them to the devices file.
+
+LVM records devices in the devices file using hardware-specific IDs, such
+as the WWID, and attempts to use subsystem-specific IDs for virtual device
+types (which also aim to be as unique and stable as possible.)
+These device IDs are also written in the VG metadata.  When no hardware or
+virtual ID is available, lvm falls back using the unstable device name as
+the device ID.  When devnames are used, lvm performs extra scanning to
+find devices if their devname changes, e.g. after reboot.
+
+When proper device IDs are used, an lvm command will not look at devices
+outside the devices file, but when devnames are used as a fallback, lvm
+will scan devices outside the devices file to locate PVs on renamed
+devices.  A config setting search_for_devnames can be used to control the
+scanning for renamed devname entries.
+
+Related to the devices file, the new command option --devices <devnames>
+allows a list of devices to be specified for the command to use,
+overriding the devices file.  The listed devices act as a sort of devices
+file in terms of limiting which devices lvm will see and use.  Devices
+that are not listed will appear to be missing to the lvm command.
+    
+Multiple devices files can be kept in /etc/lvm/devices, which allows lvm
+to be used with different sets of devices, e.g. system devices do not need
+to be exposed to a specific application, and the application can use lvm on
+its own devices that are not exposed to the system.  The option
+--devicesfile <filename> is used to select the devices file to use with the
+command.  Without the option set, the default system devices file is used.
+
+Setting --devicesfile "" causes lvm to not use a devices file.
+
+With no devices file, lvm will use any device on the system, and applies
+the filter to limit the full set of system devices.  With a devices file,
+the regex filter is not used, and the filter settings in lvm.conf or the
+command line are ignored.  The vgimportdevices command is one exception
+which does apply the regex filter when looking for a VG to import.
+
+If a devices file exists, lvm will use it, even if it's empty.  An empty
+devices file means lvm will see no devices.
+
+If the system devices file does not yet exist, the pvcreate or vgcreate
+commands will create it if they see no existing VGs on the system.
+lvmdevices --addev and vgimportdevices will always create a new devices file
+if it does not yet exist.
+
+It is recommended to use lvm commands to make changes to the devices file to
+ensure proper updates.
+
diff --git a/man/lvmdevices.8_end b/man/lvmdevices.8_end
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/lvmdevices.8_end
diff --git a/man/see_also.end b/man/see_also.end
index 505c1599a..4dc9b0ec0 100644
--- a/man/see_also.end
+++ b/man/see_also.end
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 .BR lvm (8)
 .BR lvm.conf (5)
 .BR lvmconfig (8)
+.BR lvmdevices (8)
 
 .BR pvchange (8)
 .BR pvck (8)
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@
 .BR vgextend (8)
 .BR vgimport (8)
 .BR vgimportclone (8)
+.BR vgimportdevices (8)
 .BR vgmerge (8)
 .BR vgmknodes (8)
 .BR vgreduce (8)
diff --git a/man/vgimportdevices.8_des b/man/vgimportdevices.8_des
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7c2287cfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/vgimportdevices.8_des
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+vgimportdevices adds PVs from a VG to the devices file.  This is similar
+to using using lvmdevices --adddev to add each PV to the devices file
+individually.  vgimportdevices will also update the VG metadata to include
+the device IDs of each PV.  vgimportdevices will create a new devices file
+if none exists.
+
+When a devices file is used, the regex filter is ignored, except in the case
+of vgimportdevices which will apply the regex filter when looking for the VGs
+to import to the devices file.  Use vgimportdevices -a to import all VGs on a
+system to the devices file.
+
diff --git a/man/vgimportdevices.8_end b/man/vgimportdevices.8_end
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/vgimportdevices.8_end