[LU-17862] Unify (most of) the Lustre kernel modules

• Type: Improvement
• Resolution: Unresolved
• Priority: Minor
• Severity: 3
• Assignee: Tim Day
• Reporter: Tim Day

Description

The large number of Lustre kernel modules add complexity for users and developers without any corresponding value-add. The modules have a strict dependency order and can't really be used independently (outside of a testing context) as almost all modules are needed for a working Lustre client/server. I suspect the most common use-case is to load/unload all modules as a group.

Numerous modules with strict interdependence force user to rely on scripts like lustre_insmod/rmmod to abstract away the complexity.

Developer are restricted in where new code can be added by the risk of introducing circular dependencies that would make module loads impossible.

The remaining modules should be:
    libcfs.ko
    *lnd.ko
    lnet.ko
    lnet_selftest.ko
    lustre.ko
    osd_*.ko

This likely can't land for 2.16, but at the start of the 2.17 dev cycle.

Issue Links

• is related to: LU-12511 Prepare lustre for adoption into the linux kernel