The planning for the Linux Storage Filesystem and Memory Management Summit 2014 is progressing nicely. There has been a solid response to the Call For Proposals sent out on December with a wide range of topics being sent to the lists. These include high-level issues such as the kernel APIs currently exposed to userspace and their suitability for efficient IO, storage technology of different types with Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) being of particular interest, persistent memory and how it should be supported and utilised, supporting block sizes larger than the MMU page size, filesystem layouts for new storage technologies, numerous device mapper topics, VM scalability issues, memory compression, the list goes on. I’m looking forward very much to discussing topics related to database software requirements and what the kernel currently gets right and wrong. There was an exceptional response from the PostgreSQL community when the topic was raised and it looks very promising so far. As well as discussing the issue at LSF/MM, there should be a follow-up meeting at Collaboration Summit. Details will be sent out about the Collaboration Summit meeting when I manage to book a room to hold it in. Whatever else LSF/MM may be this year, it will not be boring or stuck for topics to talk about.
I am pleased to note that there are a number of new people sending in attend and topic mails. The long-term health of the community depends on new people getting involved and breaking through any perceived barrier to entry. At least, it has been the case for some time that there is more work to do in the memory manager than there are people available to do it. It helps to know that there are new people on the way.
None of this would be possible without the people making the proposals and I’m glad that LSF/MM is looking strong again. If you have been planning on sending in an attend or topic request then there is still time to do it before the January 31st deadline. Get moving!
It would also not be possible without the continued support of sponsors without whom LSF/MM would be homeless or held in a temporary shed like the first FS/MM meeting was (cold, damp, biscuits tasted a little of despair). NetApp are continuing with Platinum support and IBM are our first Gold sponsor, thanks very much to both companies for helping us out. Other companies are expected to join us soon when the paperwork goes through and I look forward to welcoming them. If any companies are interested in sponsoring us then please feel free to get in touch with me (mgorman at suse.de) and I’ll see what I can do to help.
Here’s to a solid LSF/MM 2014!