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kerneld is an obsolete Linux user space daemon that allowed kernel modules such as device drivers, network drivers and filesystems to be loaded automatically when they are needed, rather than having to load them manually with modprobe or insmod. A kernel module is a collection of routines that perform a system-level function and which can be loaded and unloaded dynamically (i.e., without rebooting) from the running kernel as required. A daemon is a type of program on Unix-like operating systems that runs unobtrusively in the background, rather than under the direct control of a user, waiting to be activated by the occurrence of a specific event or condition. User space is that portion of system memory in which user processes (i.e., everything other than the kernel) run, as contrasted with kernel space, which is that portion of memory in which the kernel executes and provides its services. kerneld was first introduced into the Linux 1.3 development kernel by Bjorn Ekwall. However, it had several disadvantages, including the fact that modules could not be loaded until the system initialization process had advanced sufficiently to start it, and thus it was replaced by the kmod kernel module loader beginning with the 2.1.90 kernel. Created September 13, 2005. |