Maintaining the storage layer/drivers in two languages is burdensome. Since the integration tests require the Perl storage layer/drivers we'll need them even after the core code is migrated to C. Create an interface layer so the Perl code can be removed and new storage drivers/features introduced without adding Perl equivalents.
The goal is to move the integration tests to C so this interface will eventually be removed. That being the case, the interface was designed for maximum compatibility to ease the transition. The result looks a bit hacky but we'll improve it as needed until it can be retired.
Refactor storage layer to allow for new repository filesystems using drivers. (Reviewed by Cynthia Shang.)
Refactor IO layer to allow for new compression formats, checksum types, and other capabilities using filters. (Reviewed by Cynthia Shang.)