Re: [PATCH 12/15] driver core: Implement tagged directory support for device classes.

Tejun Heo [off-list ref] writes:

It's a bit scary tho.  Working inode->i_dentry or dentry->d_alias
crosses multiple sb's.  sysfs isn't too greedy about dcache/icache.
Only open files and directories hold them and only single copy of
sysfs_dirent is there for most nodes.  Wouldn't it be better to stay on
the safer side and use separate inode hierarchy?

To do that I believe we would need to ensure sysfs does not use 
the inode->i_mutex lock except to keep the VFS layer out.  Allowing us
to safely change the directory structure, without holding it.

You raise a good point about inode->i_dentry and dentry->d_alias.
Generally they are used by fat like filesystems but I am starting to
see uses in generic pieces of code.  I don't see any problems today
but yes it would be good to do the refactoring to allow us to duplicate
the inodes. 

Eric