NAME

       nbdkit-random-plugin - plugin to serve random data

SYNOPSIS

        nbdkit random [size=]SIZE [seed=SEED]

DESCRIPTION

       "nbdkit-random-plugin" is a plugin for nbdkit(1) which serves random data.  This plugin is
       mainly good for testing NBD clients.  This plugin creates a non-sparse random disk, for a
       sparse random disk see nbdkit-sparse-random-plugin(1).

       The size of the virtual disk must be specified using the "size" parameter.  If you specify
       the "seed" parameter then you will get the same random data over multiple runs with the
       same seed.

       The random data is generated using an insecure method.

   Writes and testing copying
       Writing to the disk is possible.  If you do this the plugin will check that what you are
       writing exactly matches what would be read at the same offset (if not, it returns EIO
       error).  You can use this to test copying programs by making the source and destination
       NBD URIs be the same:

        nbdkit -U - random size=100M --run 'nbdcopy "$uri" "$uri"'

       "qemu-img convert" could be used in place of nbdcopy.  See also
       nbdkit-checkwrite-filter(1).

PARAMETERS

       [size=]SIZE
           Specify the virtual size of the disk image.

           This parameter is required.

           "size=" is a magic config key and may be omitted in most cases.  See "Magic
           parameters" in nbdkit(1).

       seed=SEED
           Specify the random seed to get repeatable data over multiple runs.

           If not specified then a random seed is chosen.

FILES

       $plugindir/nbdkit-random-plugin.so
           The plugin.

           Use "nbdkit --dump-config" to find the location of $plugindir.

VERSION

       "nbdkit-random-plugin" first appeared in nbdkit 1.4.

SEE ALSO

       nbdkit(1), nbdkit-plugin(3), nbdkit-data-plugin(1), nbdkit-full-plugin(1),
       nbdkit-null-plugin(1), nbdkit-pattern-plugin(1), nbdkit-sparse-random-plugin(1),
       nbdkit-zero-plugin(1), nbdcopy(1), qemu-img(1).

AUTHORS

       Richard W.M. Jones

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (C) 2018-2020 Red Hat Inc.

LICENSE

       Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are
       permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

       •   Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of
           conditions and the following disclaimer.

       •   Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of
           conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials
           provided with the distribution.

       •   Neither the name of Red Hat nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse
           or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written
           permission.

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