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Requesting kABI Notifications

Overview

The Novell kABI Notification Service is part of the Partner Linux Driver Process and has been created to provide Novell partners with information about the impact upcoming kernel symbol changes will have on their modules. The kABI Notification Service also allows Novell's kernel engineering teams to proactively assess the impact of proposed kernel symbol changes on partners' kernel modules.

Definitions

Please see Driver Process Terminology.

Requesting kABI Notification

  • Technical Prerequisites:
  1. RPM built in accordance with the document /usr/src/linux/Documentation/kbuild/modules.txt.
  • Use the "collect-kabi" script to extract the symbol information from your kernel module RPM. Run the script as follows:
 collect-kabi <package_file>
   (Note:  Further information on how to run the collect-kabi script
    can be obtained by using the "-h"
    option to collect-kabi.)  
  1. Classification should be "Partner Linux Drivers"
  2. Product should be "Partner Linux Driver Packages - Code9" (SLES9, NLD9, OES1) or "Partner Linux Driver Packages - Code10" (SLES10, SLED10, OES2)
  3. Component should be "kABI Notifications"
  4. In the bug description, include the name of the package from which the symbols were pulled as well as a list of the kernel modules contained in the package.
  5. Include in the "cc" field the email addresses of all persons (in addition to the bug submitter) to whom Novell should send kABI notifications.
  6. Attach the "<package_name>-kabi-<kernel_version>.tar.gz" file (created by the collect-kabi script) to the bug.
  • Once modules have been accepted into the kABI Notification Service, Novell will send the partner periodic emails detailing any kABI incompatibilities observed between the partner's modules and new kernels.
  • When kABI breakage occurs, the partner may need to update his/her source code to operate correctly with the new kernel version.

 

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