Re:Dd is not a disk writing tool (2015)
by dockinator on Sunday January 08, 2017 @09:38AM
(#13349821)
What? Yes dd absolutely is a disk writing tool, although that is not the only or even the tool's intended primary purpose.
It is useful for generating serial IO for a variety of purposes. For example, writing data with specific target block size; allocating contiguous blocks for use by an application (be it zeroing out a thin LUN before partitioning, or a file system); or simply dumping the content of one device to another (or to a file).
Good luck stretching out a thin LUN or creating an empty file that allocates contiguous space with cat.
It is useful for generating serial IO for a variety of purposes. For example, writing data with specific target block size; allocating contiguous blocks for use by an application (be it zeroing out a thin LUN before partitioning, or a file system); or simply dumping the content of one device to another (or to a file).
Good luck stretching out a thin LUN or creating an empty file that allocates contiguous space with cat.