Unit 3:

Kernel Services
Welcome!
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Unit-3: Linux Kernel

Purpose & Organisation of Kernel

Loading Kernel Modules

Configure Kernel using /proc & ssctl

!xploring "ard#are devices on sste$

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Linux Kernel
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Linux Kernel

Kernel is the core of the RHEL operating system.

It is kernel's job to control hardware, enforce secrity and allocate resorces

like !"# and memory.

$hree kernel %ersions are a%ailable for &'( architectre)

%egular: one more more processor bt * +, or less R-.
P&!: mltiple processors and pto (*+, of R-.
'!(: sed for /irtali0ation.

Kernel is always installed nder /)oot/v$linu*-+

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Kernel Modules
$he Lin& kernel has a modlar design. -t boot time, only a minimal resident
kernel is loaded into memory. $hereafter, whene%er a ser re1ests a
featre that is not present in the resident kernel, a ,ernel $odule,
sometimes referred to as a driver, is dynamically loaded into memory.
2ring installation, the hardware on the system is probed. ,ased on this probing
and the information pro%ided by the ser, the installation program decides
which modles need to be loaded at boot time. $he installation program
sets p the dynamic loading mechanism to work transparently.
3ithot modles, we wold ha%e to bild $onolit-ic ,ernels and add new
fnctionality directly into the kernel image. ,esides ha%ing larger kernels
4larger foot-print5, this has the disad%antage of re1iring s to rebild
and reboot the kernel e%ery time we want new fnctionality.
Located nder /li)/$odules/./una$e -r0 /
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Kernel Modules Utilities
ls$od) gi%es a list of crrently loaded modles
$odpro)e) can be sed to load or nload a modle
$odpro)e -r us)1storage
$odinfo) can be sed to display the information regarding a modle
$odinfo us)1storage
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Managing initrd 2$age

Initial R-. disk pro%ides the basic set of modles 6 dri%ers re1ired to boot
the machine.

Located nder /)oot/initrd-./una$e -r03i$g

!an be recreated, if deleted, by sing 7mkinitrd8 command

!an be re)uild by sing 7mkinitrd8 command sing 799with8 option

$,initrd --#it-4us)1storage /)oot/initrd-./una$e -r03i$g ./una$e -r0
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ssctl: persistent ,ernel configuration

sysctl is sed to modify kernel parameters at rntime.

List all the crrent settings)

ssctl -a

$o configre a parameter sing 7sysctl8 command

ssctl -# net3ipv53ic$p1ec-o1ignore1all 4 6

.ake the changes permanent by gi%ing

ssctl -p
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!xploring "ard#are 7evices

lspci ) to list crrent "!I de%ices.

lsus) ) to list crrent #:, connected de%ices.

-al-device-$anager ) display de%ices in graphical window

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Questions