Indian company builds native zfs kernel module for Linux
The zfs file system, which was developed by the former Sun, may still have a native implementation for Linux. The Indian company Knowledge Quest Infotech is said to have built zfs in the form of a kernel module.
Although the zettabyte file system is used in OpenSolaris, FreeBSD, and NetBSD, among others, the 128-bit file system has never made a complete transition to Linux. The reason is that the cddl license of the former Sun is not compatible with the gpl license, which is based on the source code of the Linux kernel. Although zfs can be legally run in userspace via a roundabout way, an implementation via the Fuse project, this method results in a loss of performance.
Phoronix reports now that India-based company Knowledge Quest Infotech has developed a native zfs implementation. It can be compiled into the Linux kernel as an optional kernel module. Under the accompanying cddl license, the company plans to release the source code of its zfs implementation on September 15. A closed beta is currently underway. The company says it is not afraid of difficulties with Oracle, the database giant that acquired Sun last year and said it has no intention of providing zfs with a gpl license.
According to Phoronix, the zfs version of KQ Infotech is based on the fairly recent Zfs Pool 18, but does not have features like de-duplication that were found in the last freely available versions of OpenSolaris. The kernel module only works with 64bit Linux kernels. In addition to the source code release, rpm installation files will be released for Fedora 12 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Beta 2. In addition, it will be possible to add zfs to the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS kernel.
While zfs is now available as a kernel module for Linux, it’s unclear whether KQ Infotech wants to see funding for its creation in the future. It is also questionable whether the advantages of zfs, such as scalability and the level of security, still outweigh the effort that must be taken to implement it. This is related to the arrival of btrfs, a comparable file system that complies with the gpl license and is growing in popularity.