Kernel Reboot via Busy-Waiting Physical Cores
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing kernel reboot process, particularly in systems using kexec, is prolonged by the time-consuming phases of powering off and on physical cores during kernel version updates, adversely affecting user experience.
Innovation Solution
A method involving setting physical cores to a busy waiting state, querying for entry address modifications, and performing initialization procedures upon detection of such modifications, thereby skipping the power-off and power-on phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the physical core is powered off and then powered on during kernel version update, then the kernel reboot process is completed, but the reboot time is excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The physical core enters a busy waiting state before the new kernel is fully loaded, maintaining power while waiting for the entry address to be updated. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complete power cycle, significantly reducing reboot time while ensuring reliable kernel transition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent skips the power-off and power-on phases by keeping the physical core powered on in a busy waiting state. The core continuously checks for entry address modifications and transitions to the new kernel immediately when ready, rushing through the traditional power cycle process
2Loss of time
If the physical core enters busy waiting state and checks for entry address modification, then the reboot time is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The physical core implements a feedback mechanism by continuously querying whether the entry address has been modified. When the entry address changes (indicating new kernel readiness), the core receives feedback to exit the busy waiting state and perform initialization, creating a simple yet effective control loop that reduces reboot time without significant complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The physical core autonomously manages its own state transitions by self-querying the entry address modification and automatically exiting the busy waiting state when the new kernel is ready. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex external control mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a kernel reboot method, to reserve an internal memory for storing an entry address of a physical code and a code segment for the physical core. A kernel hotswap scenario is used as an example. When a computer system stops executing an old kernel, an interrupt is sent to the physical core, so that the physical core enters a busy waiting state. When the computer system starts a new kernel, the entry address of the physical core is modified. When finding that the entry address is modified, the physical core in the busy waiting state exits the busy waiting state, performs an initialization procedure of the physical core, and receives task scheduling of the new kernel.