Subject: vdiskadm convert [PSARC/2009/214 FastTrack timeout 04/08/2009]
To:      PSARC-ext@Sun.Com
Cc:      susan.kamm-worrell@sun.com
Bcc:     one-pager-list@sac.sfbay one-pager-log@sac.sfbay sac-bar@sac.sfbay


Template Version: @(#)sac_nextcase 1.68 02/23/09 SMI
This information is Copyright 2009 Sun Microsystems
1. Introduction
    1.1. Project/Component Working Name:
	 vdiskadm convert
    1.2. Name of Document Author/Supplier:
	 Author:  Susan Kamm-Worrell
    1.3  Date of This Document:
	01 April, 2009
4. Technical Description
Template Version: @(#)sac_nextcase %I% %G% SMI
This information is Copyright 2008 Sun Microsystems
1. Introduction
     1.1. Project/Component Working Name:
	 vdiskadm convert
     1.2. Name of Document Author/Supplier:
	 Author:  Susan Kamm-Worrell
     1.3  Date of This Document:
	1 April, 2009
4. Technical Description

4.1.  Summary

This fast-track introduces four new commands to vdiskadm, an administrative
tool to manage virtual disks.  It also introduces a new virtual disk type,
vhd, which is the native Microsoft virtual disk format. 

Minor release binding is requested.

The materials directory contains the updated manpage.

4.2.  Discussion

The vdiskadm import and export commands listed in the fast-track
PSARC/2008/597 are now being allowed for general use.  The
vdiskadm convert and translate commands are new.

Virtual appliances consist of configuration and disk data files.
To use disk data files they need to be imported to
a virtual disk understood by xvm.  Also, block devices
used as virtual disks can have their data imported into a virtual
disk allowing the disk data to be saved or moved to another system.

Conversely, a virtual disk created by xvm may need to be exported
in order to be used by Virtual Box or other virtualization technologies.
Virtual disk data can also be exported to a block device that can be
used as the disk for a guest domain.

Both import and export commands can convert the disk data to a different
virtual disk type during their execution.  The vdiskadm convert command
allows the user to convert an existing virtual disk to a different type.
This is especially helpful in comparison of virtual disk type performance
where different virtual disk types containing the same data can be
compared.

The translate command is a conversion of a disk data file from
one virtual disk type to another without creating an actual vdisk.
This allows the user to translate disk data from a virtual appliance
directly to a zvol or other block device.  This may also be useful
for converting disk data from a block device directly to a data file
for use with Virtual Box.

Listed are the new vdiskadm commands:
import          Imports a file or block device data into a virtual disk
export          Exports a virtual disk data into a file or block device.
convert		Converts a virtual disk to a different type
translate	Translates data from a file or block device to 
		another of a different type

4.3.  Interfaces

vdiskadm command is Uncommitted.

5.  References:

PSARC/2006/260 Solaris on Xen
PSARC/2008/597 vdiskadm

6. Resources and Schedule:
    6.4. Product Approval Committee requested information:
         6.4.1. Consolidation or Component Name:
                 ON
    6.5. ARC review type: FastTrack
    6.6. ARC Exposure: open

6. Resources and Schedule
    6.4. Steering Committee requested information
   	6.4.1. Consolidation C-team Name:
		ON
    6.5. ARC review type: FastTrack
    6.6. ARC Exposure: open