As of the Linux 2.6.10 kernel, it is now possible to change the
IO scheduler for a given block device on the fly (thus making it possible,
for instance, to set the CFQ scheduler for the system default, but
set a specific device to use the anticipatory or noop schedulers - which
can improve that device's throughput).

To set a specific scheduler, simply do this:

echo SCHEDNAME > /sys/block/DEV/queue/scheduler

where SCHEDNAME is the name of a defined IO scheduler, and DEV is the
device name (hda, hdb, sga, or whatever you happen to have).

The list of defined schedulers can be found by simply doing
a "cat /sys/block/DEV/queue/scheduler" - the list of valid names
will be displayed, with the currently selected scheduler in brackets:

# cat /sys/block/hda/queue/scheduler
noop anticipatory deadline [cfq]
# echo anticipatory > /sys/block/hda/queue/scheduler
# cat /sys/block/hda/queue/scheduler
noop [anticipatory] deadline cfq

Document online io scheduler switching
[PATCH] Document online io scheduler switching

We added the ability to change a block device's IO elevator scheduler both
at kernel boot and on-the-fly, but we only documented the elevator= boot
parameter.  Add a quick how-to on doing it on the fly.

Signed-off-by: Valdis Kletnieks <814188cd03107d5799513ce54504ae6de4a1462b@vt.edu>
Signed-off-by: Andrew Morton <5c1e68b099950c134891f0b6e179498a8ebe9cf9@osdl.org>
Signed-off-by: Jens Axboe <cd8c6775e60d6f67a6984377324e5290df3d5358@suse.de>
