The Design and Implementation of the Anykernel and Rump Kernels

A–15
RUMP(3) NetBSD Library Functions Manual RUMP(3)
NAME
rump -- The Rump Anykernel
LIBRARY
rump Library (librump, -lrump)
SYNOPSIS
#include
#include
DESCRIPTION
rump is part of the realization of a flexible anykernel architecture for
NetBSD. An anykernel architecture enables using kernel code in a number
of different kernel models. These models include, but are not limited
to, the original monolithic kernel, a microkernel server, or an exokernel
style application library. rump itself makes it possible to run unmodified
kernel components in a regular userspace process. Most of the time
"unmodified" means unmodified source code, but some architectures can
also execute unmodified kernel module binaries in userspace. Examples of
different use models are running file system drivers as userspace servers
(see p2k(3)) and being able to write standalone applications which understand
file system images.
Regardless of the kernel model used, a rump kernel is a fullfledged kernel
with its own virtual namespaces, including a file system hierarchy,
CPUs, TCP/UDP ports, device driver attachments and file descriptors.
This means that any modification to the system state on the host running
the rump kernel will not show up in the rump kernel and vice versa. A
rump kernel may also be significantly more lightweight than the host, and
might not include include for example file system support at all.
NetBSD 5.99.48 March 25, 2011 NetBSD 5.99.48