STREAMS-UX Programmer's Guide (February 2007)

Modules and Drivers
DLKM STREAMS
Chapter 4
107
DLKM STREAMS
Traditionally, kernel modules have been statically bound into the main kernel executable, /stand/vmunix.
This method requires system administrators to rebuild the kernel executables and then reboot the system in
order to add, remove, or patch a kernel module.
A Dynamically Loadable Kernel Module (DLKM) can be loaded into the running kernel without the need
for a rebuild or a reboot. For a module to be dynamically loadable, it must have a few extra data structures
and functions that are not needed for static modules. The details of the DLKM related data structures,
functions and how to construct a DLKM STREAMS module/driver are documented in the HP-UX Driver
Development Guide.
The HP-UX Driver Development Guide is available for free download at http://www.hp.com/go/hpux_ddk.