Kernel Concepts and Architecture by Richard Johnson

"Kernel Concepts and Architecture"

"Kernel Concepts and Architecture" is an authoritative resource that explores the inner workings of modern operating system kernels, offering a comprehensive and methodical analysis of core design principles. The book provides clear comparisons among kernel architectures—monolithic, microkernel, exokernel, and hybrid—setting the foundation for understanding their respective strengths and historical roles. It delves deeply into essential components such as kernel initialization, modularity, secure privilege separation, interrupt handling, and strategies for supporting multi-core and NUMA systems, highlighting both established practices and emerging approaches to platform abstraction and portability.

Through detailed chapters on process and thread management, memory management, device and I/O subsystems, and filesystems, the book illuminates the intricate interplay between key kernel subsystems. Readers will gain insight into advanced process isolation, threading models, context switching, and scheduler designs tailored for both general-purpose and real-time environments. State-of-the-art memory management is thoroughly detailed—from virtual memory abstraction and page table structures to NUMA optimizations and secure memory isolation—as is robust support for modern persistent storage technologies, dynamic device management, and contemporary I/O and networking stacks.

Critical topics such as kernel security, scalability, and extensibility are woven throughout, encompassing threat modeling, secure development lifecycles, mandatory access controls, and mechanisms for live patching and real-time diagnostics. Each aspect is backed by practical guidance on debugging, testing, and contributing to open-source kernels, preparing readers to both understand and participate in the evolving landscape of kernel research and development. Designed for advanced students, engineers, and researchers, this book serves as both foundational text and up-to-date reference for mastering the complexities of kernel design and operation.