By: Geoff Langdale (geoff.langdale.delete@this.gmail.com), October 19, 2022 5:15 pm
Room: Moderated Discussions
Ana Rodriguez (ana_rodriguez_riano.delete@this.protonmail.com) on October 19, 2022 2:35 pm wrote:
> Very interesting.
>
> May it also be possible to, let's say, use a kernel module that uses those instructions
> exclusively, and then interface it though a userspace library?
>
> In such case, I understand the operations would be done in kernel space which
> doesn't require saving states (as it's running in kernel mode, which is a single
> address space) and these extensions would be accessed through this library.
It's been a while since I've done anything in this area. That said, to avoid needing a mechanism to save states, wouldn't you need to either (a) disable interrupts while using these resources or (b) make the bet that nothing else on the system touches them?
> Very interesting.
>
> May it also be possible to, let's say, use a kernel module that uses those instructions
> exclusively, and then interface it though a userspace library?
>
> In such case, I understand the operations would be done in kernel space which
> doesn't require saving states (as it's running in kernel mode, which is a single
> address space) and these extensions would be accessed through this library.
It's been a while since I've done anything in this area. That said, to avoid needing a mechanism to save states, wouldn't you need to either (a) disable interrupts while using these resources or (b) make the bet that nothing else on the system touches them?
