doc: Document boot process and image formats

2026-07-29 20:23:01 +02:00 · 2023-03-13 09:55:16 +01:00
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+Disk Layout
+-----------
+
+Infix runs from a block device (e.g. eMMC or virtio disk) with the
+following layout. The disk is expected to use the GPT partitioning
+scheme. Partitions marked with an asterisk are optional.
+
+    .-----------.
+	| GPT Table |
+	:-----------:
+	|    boot*  |
+	:-----------:
+	|    aux    |
+	:-----------:
+	|           |
+	|  primary  |
+	|           |
+	:-----------:
+	|           |
+	| secondary |
+	|           |
+	:-----------:
+	|    cfg    |
+	:-----------:
+	|           |
+	|    var*   |
+	|           |
+	'-----------'
+
+### `boot` - Bootloader
+
+| Parameter | Value                                   |
+|-----------|-----------------------------------------|
+| Required  | No                                      |
+| Size      | 4 MiB                                   |
+| Format    | Raw binary, as dictated by the hardware |
+
+Optional partition containing the system's bootloader. May also reside
+in a separate storage device, e.g. a serial FLASH.
+
+
+### `aux` - Auxiliary Data
+
+| Parameter | Value           |
+|-----------|-----------------|
+| Required  | Yes             |
+| Size      | 4 MiB           |
+| Format    | EXT4 filesystem |
+
+Holds information that is shared between Infix and its bootloader,
+such as image signatures required to validate the chain of trust,
+bootloader configuration etc.
+
+Typical layout when using U-Boot bootloader:
+
+    /
+    ├ primary.itbh
+	├ secondary.itbh
+	└ uboot.env
+
+During boot, an ITB header along with the corresponding root
+filesystem image are concatenated in memory, by U-Boot, to form a
+valid FIT image that is used to verify its integrity and origin before
+any files are extracted from it.
+
+Note that the bootloader's primary environment is bundled in the
+binary - `uboot.env` is only used to import a few settings that is
+required to configure the boot order.
+
+
+### `primary`/`secondary` - Infix Root Filesystem Images
+
+| Parameter | Value             |
+|-----------|-------------------|
+| Required  | Yes               |
+| Size      | >= 256 MiB        |
+| Format    | Squash filesystem |
+
+The main Infix image - the `rootfs.squashfs` image in your `images/`
+directory. Two copies exist so that an incomplete upgrade does not
+brick the system, and to allow fast rollbacks when upgrading to a new
+version.
+
+
+### `cfg` - Configuration Data
+
+| Parameter | Value           |
+|-----------|-----------------|
+| Required  | Yes             |
+| Size      | >= 16 MiB       |
+| Format    | EXT4 filesystem |
+
+Non-volatile storage of the system configuration and user
+data. Concretely, user data is everything stored under `/root` and
+`/home`. Depending on the operating mode, the configuration is either
+the NETCONF databases from `/cfg`, or the contents of `/etc` when
+operating in native mode.
+
+
+### `var` - Variable Data
+
+| Parameter | Value           |
+|-----------|-----------------|
+| Required  | No              |
+| Size      | >= 16 MiB       |
+| Format    | EXT4 filesystem |
+
+Persistent storage for everything under `/var`. This is maintained as
+a separate filesystem from the data in `cfg`, because while the system
+can funtion reasonably well without a persistent `/var`, loosing
+`/cfg` or `/etc` is much more difficult.
+
+If `var` is not available, Infix will still persist `/var/lib` using
+`cfg` as the backing storage.
+