loop: add management interface for on-demand device allocation

Loop devices today have a fixed pre-allocated number of usually 8.
The number can only be changed at module init time. To find a free
device to use, /dev/loop%i needs to be scanned, and all devices need
to be opened until a free one is possibly found.

This adds a new /dev/loop-control device node, that allows to
dynamically find or allocate a free device, and to add and remove loop
devices from the running system:
 LOOP_CTL_ADD adds a specific device. Arg is the number
 of the device. It returns the device i or a negative
 error code.

 LOOP_CTL_REMOVE removes a specific device, Arg is the
 number the device. It returns the device i or a negative
 error code.

 LOOP_CTL_GET_FREE finds the next unbound device or allocates
 a new one. No arg is given. It returns the device i or a
 negative error code.

The loop kernel module gets automatically loaded when
/dev/loop-control is accessed the first time. The alias
specified in the module, instructs udev to create this
'dead' device node, even when the module is not loaded.

Example:
 cfd = open("/dev/loop-control", O_RDWR);

 # add a new specific loop device
 err = ioctl(cfd, LOOP_CTL_ADD, devnr);

 # remove a specific loop device
 err = ioctl(cfd, LOOP_CTL_REMOVE, devnr);

 # find or allocate a free loop device to use
 devnr = ioctl(cfd, LOOP_CTL_GET_FREE);

 sprintf(loopname, "/dev/loop%i", devnr);
 ffd = open("backing-file", O_RDWR);
 lfd = open(loopname, O_RDWR);
 err = ioctl(lfd, LOOP_SET_FD, ffd);

Cc: Tejun Heo <tj@kernel.org>
Cc: Karel Zak  <kzak@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Kay Sievers <kay.sievers@vrfy.org>
Signed-off-by: Jens Axboe <jaxboe@fusionio.com>

2 files changed, 5 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/include/linux/loop.h b/include/linux/loop.h
index 5f08d18fa148..683d69890119 100644
--- a/include/linux/loop.h
+++ b/include/linux/loop.h
@@ -160,4 +160,8 @@ int loop_unregister_transfer(int number);
 #define LOOP_CHANGE_FD          0x4C06
 #define LOOP_SET_CAPACITY       0x4C07
 
+/* /dev/loop-control interface */
+#define LOOP_CTL_ADD            0x4C80
+#define LOOP_CTL_REMOVE         0x4C81
+#define LOOP_CTL_GET_FREE       0x4C82
 #endif
diff --git a/include/linux/miscdevice.h b/include/linux/miscdevice.h
index 18fd13028ba1..c309b1ecdc1c 100644
--- a/include/linux/miscdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/miscdevice.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #define BTRFS_MINOR             234
 #define AUTOFS_MINOR            235
 #define MAPPER_CTRL_MINOR       236
+#define LOOP_CTRL_MINOR         237
 #define MISC_DYNAMIC_MINOR      255
 
 struct device;