PUBLIC MARKS from solrac with tag kernel

Several tools exist to Resizing Linux partitions, but there are a number of potential pitfalls and restrictions that can make the task more difficult than it might at first seem. This article guides you through the task of resizing Linux partitions, beginning with basic preparations and moving on to common resizing scenarios using graphical user interface (GUI) tools.

As the kernel and user space exist in different virtual address spaces, there are special considerations for moving data between them. Explore the ideas behind virtual address spaces and the kernel APIs for data movement to and from user space, and learn some of the other mapping techniques used to map memory

The 2.6.33 Linux kernel has introduced a useful new service called the DRBD - Distributed Replicated Block Device. This service mirrors an entire block device to another networked host during run time, permitting the development of high-availability clusters for block data. Explore the ideas behind the DRBD and its implementation in the Linux kernel.

The tools used to boot Linux are changing. Specifically, the Grand Unified Bootloader (GRUB) is now officially in maintenance mode only, and GRUB's developers have abandoned the original GRUB in favor of an entirely rewritten package, known as GRUB 2. Discover GRUB 2's new capabilities and how to use it.

An interesting change in the 2.6.32 kernel is Kernel Shared Memory (KSM). KSM allows the hypervisor to increase the number of concurrent virtual machines by consolidating identical memory pages. Explore the ideas behind KSM (such as storage de-duplication), its implementation, and how you manage it.

The Linux® kernel includes a variety of APIs intended to help developers build simpler and more efficient driver and kernel applications. Two of the more common APIs that can be used for work deferral are the list management and timer APIs. Discover these APIs, and learn how to develop kernel applications with timers and lists.

For high-frequency threaded operations, the Linux® kernel provides tasklets and work queues. Tasklets and work queues implement deferrable functionality and replace the older bottom-half mechanism for drivers. This article explores the use of tasklets and work queues in the kernel and shows you how to build deferrable functions with these APIs.

The Linux® system call interface permits user-space applications to invoke functionality in the kernel, but what about invoking user-space applications from the kernel? Explore the usermode-helper API, and learn how to invoke user-space applications and manipulate their output.

Modern operating system kernels provide the means for introspection, the ability to peer dynamically within the kernel to understand its behaviors. With this knowledge, you can tune or modify the kernel to avoid failure conditions. Discover an open source infrastructure called SystemTap that provides this dynamic introspection for the Linux kernel.

Life's certainties include death and taxes but also the advancement of the GNU/Linux operating system, and the last two kernel releases did not disappoint. The 2.6.28 and 2.6.29 releases contain an amazing amount of new functionality, such as a cutting-edge enterprise storage protocol, two new file systems, WiMAX broadband networking support, and storage integrity checking. Discover why it's time to upgrade.

The Linux Kernel version 2.6.25 introduces a new Linux process sleeping state, TASK_KILLABLE: If a process is sleeping killably in this new state, it works like TASK_UNINTERRUPTIBLE with the bonus that it can respond to fatal signals. This feature is generally an improvement over the existing options—after all, it is another way to keep from getting stuck with dead processes.