Re: User mode drivers: part 1, interrupt handling (patch for 2.6.11)

Peter Chubb
2005-03-14T03:05:47Z

>>>>> "Jon" == Jon Smirl <jonsmirl@gmail.com> writes:

Jon> On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 12:42:27 +1100, Peter Chubb
Jon> <peterc@gelato.unsw.edu.au> wrote:
>> >>>>> "Jon" == Jon Smirl <jonsmirl@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>> >> The scenario I'm thinking about with these patches are things
>> like >> low-latency user-level networking between nodes in a
>> cluster, where >> for good performance even with a kernel driver
>> you don't want to >> share your interrupt line with anything else.

Jon> Instead of making up a new API what about making a library of
Jon> calls that emulates the common entry points used by device
Jon> drivers. The version I did for UML could take the same driver and
Jon> run it in user space or the kernel without changing source
Jon> code. I found this very useful.

The in-kernel device drivers interface is very large --- I want to
start with something a bit simpler. We do have a compatibility
library, as yet unreleased, that allows the same drivers to run
in-kernel or in user space.

--
Dr Peter Chubb http://www.gelato.unsw.edu.au peterc AT gelato.unsw.edu.au
The technical we do immediately, the political takes *forever*