Kernel

Abstract

This is a very very basic attempt to describe how the kernel is implemeted on redhat/fedora/centos for those people whom are in environments where someone tried to be "helpful" by removing the native distros kernel and replace it with their own. This is NOT an article for VPS users, because you dont have a kernel and theres nothing you can do. As a side note, this is not a replacement for the real documentation in the linux kernel, they are just my personal observations and are subject to error. This is not linux canon. You have been warned.

Overview

The kernel installation/upgrade process is for the most part completely automated. Upgrade events are capable of reading the existing configuration information, and adding them to the boot loader. The major components are:

Kernel, usually /boot/vmlinuz-XXXX

Ram Disk, usually /boot/initrd-XXXX

Modules, usually /lib/modules/XXXX

Boot loader, usually Grub

Module configuration information, /etc/modprobe.conf, or /etc/modprobe.d/*

Minor componets:

New-kernel-pkg, /sbin/new-kernel-pkg

Kenel configuration file (used by new-kernel-pkg), /etc/sysconfig/kernel

mkinitrd config directory (depends on distro), /etc/sysconfig/mkinitrd/