Dm-qcow2 - Qcow2 as Device-mapper Block Device

Explore a conference talk that delves into the dm-qcow2 driver, a new device-mapper block device for utilizing the QCOW2 format in containers. Learn about the limitations of current container rootfs solutions and discover how dm-qcow2 addresses these issues. Understand the motivation behind developing an in-kernel solution and the advantages of using the device mapper framework. Examine the technical details of dm-qcow2, including its generic design and IO request handling. Investigate the practical applications through examples or demonstrations, and explore potential integration with LXC and performance benefits for Qemu. Gain insights into the QCOW2 format, its features, and how dm-qcow2 leverages them for improved container functionality, including snapshots and backups.

Intro
Why do we need a block device?
Ploop: in-kernel block device driver with custom image format
qcow2 format (brief explanation)
qcow2 format: overview
qcow2 format features.
Device-mapper framework
Snapshots
Operations with backing stores
dm-backup
What about qemu-nbd?
LXC integration?
dm-qcow2 applications: virtual machines