Red Hat - Kernel Internals

Linux Kernel Internals is a fascinating and valuable hands-on exploration into how the Linux Kernel operates. Using a combination of commands and the actual Linux Kernel source code, you and your team will gain hands-on experience in how the Linux Kernel manages process, memory, I/O devices, and more.

Linux Kernel Internals is a four or five day hands-on course. The five day version provides the best hands-on experience; a compressed four-day version is also possible.

The key prerequisite is a desire to quickly gain hands-on experience in Linux Kernel Internals. Knowledge of the C Programming Language is also useful.

Introduction

• Linux Kernel Feature Overview
• Linux Kernel Architecture
• Kernel Version Numbers
• Where to get kernel source code 

• Kernel Configuration Options
• Kernel Building
• Kernel Testing

• Key Top-Level Files
• Key Top-Level Directories
• The Top-Level Makefile
• Kernel Source Code Style

• Boot Loader
• initrd
• Kernel Initialization
• The init process
• Run Levels

• Library Calls vs System Calls
• Table of System Calls
• System Call Dispatching
• Returning from System Calls

• Timer Interrupts
• I/O Interrupts
• Tasklets 
• Exceptions

• Overview
• Sending
• Receiving

• Processes and Threads
• struct task_struct
• Scheduling
• Process Address Space
• Memory Regions 

• Pipes
• Named Pipes
• Shared Memory
• Semaphores
• Message Queues

• Sleeping/Waking
• Semaphores
• Spin Locks 

• Hardware Timers
• jiffies
• Kernel Timers

• Physical and Virtual Memory
• Page Frames
• Memory Areas
• Disk Caches
• Swapping

• File System Types
• Mounting
• File I/O
• /proc File System
• ext2/ext3 File Systems

• Kernel Modules
• Character Devices
• Block Devices
• Network Devices

• Overview
• Key Data Structures
• Following the Network Stacks