Managing and Developing Dynamically Loadable Kernel Modules

Managing and Developing Dynamically Loadable Kernel Modules
Managing Dynamically Loadable Kernel Modules
Chapter 12 497
Statically
Configured
Loadable
Module
A Statically Configured Loadable Module is a DLKM
module that has the capability to be dynamically
loaded but instead is configured to be statically built
into the kernel.
In the kernel configuration context, this means that
the module-specific system file was updated to
indicate static configuration.
Because it is now statically built into the kernel, it
cannot be unloaded from, or reloaded into, the kernel
dynamically.
Dynamically
Configured
Loadable
Module
A Dynamically Configured Loadable Module is a
loadable module which has beenfully configured to be
dynamically loaded into or unloaded from the kernel
without having to re-link the entire kernel or reboot
the system.
To summarize the terminology presented in this
table,a dynamically configured kernel module is all of
the following:
•AModularly Packaged Module,
which is a kernel module with modular (module-
specific) master and system files, and an
individual object file, but which does not
necessarily utilize the wrapper code and data
structures)
•ALoadable Module (or DLKM Module)
which is a modularly packaged module that
contains the wrapper code and additional data
structures, but still could be configured as
dynamic or statically-linked.
•ADynamically Configured Loadable Module
which is a DLKM modulethat has been configured
to be fully capable of dynamic loading into, and
unloading from, the running kernel.
Table 12-1 Important Terms and Concepts
Term /
Concept
Definition