Linux Kernel- The Central Component Of Linux Operating SystemLinux Kernel is the central component of the Linux operating system. Its responsibilities involve managing the resources and communication between software and hardware of the operating system. Linux Kernel provides a way of skipping the implementation of a set of functions for the resources to be controlled. Linux Kernel makes the facilities of lowering the abstraction layer available to application process through system calls and inter-process communication. Depending on the implementation and design, different Linux Kernel perform different kinds of tasks. Basic responsibilities of Linux Kernel Central to the the Linux family, Linux Kernel is brought under the GNU General Public License (GPL) and held by contributers worldwide. The basic responsibilities of the Linux Kernel is to control the resources. It also allows other programs to use these resources and help in running them. The resources consists of CPU, computer's memory and Input/Output (I/O). CPU or Processor is the most central part of a computer and is responsible for executing programs on it. It is the responsibility of the Kernel to allocate to the processors about the running program. The kernel helps in determining about the steps to be taken in case of less memory. It is also responsible for deciding which memory each process can use. Linux Kernel like kernel in computers allow the applications to do Input/Output functions. The kernel allocates the request and provides convenient tools for using the device. Between the inter-process communication (IPC) Linux Kernel also provides ways for communication and synchronization. The primary responsibility of the Linux Kernel is to provide the running programs with a way to access these facilities. Linux Kernel designs decisions Fault tolerance, security, hardware- protection and process cooperation are the Linux Kernel designs decisions. Fault tolerance is an important consideration in the design of a Linux Kernel. This is so particularly in cases where many programs are functioning on a single computer. The choice of abstraction levels is an important kernel design decision where the policies and the security mechanisms need to be implemented. Linux Kernel helps in language-based protection or hardware-based protection, has its own advantages and disadvantages. More flexibility and less need to separate address space are the advantages while the inflexible type system and longer start up time are the disadvantages. The kernel only allows the code to perform by a trusted language complier in a language- based protection system. And that helps the language to be designed in such a manner that hardly breach security. Both as a client operating system and as a host operating system the Linux Kernel lends extensive support for and runs on many virtual machine architectures. The Linux Kernel is one of the most prominent examples of open source and free software and is a Unix-like operating system kernel. |