Advanced Kernel Analysis
Kernel Tracing and Debugging Techniques
graph TD
A[Kernel Tracing Tools] --> B[strace]
A --> C[perf]
A --> D[systemtap]
A --> E[eBPF]
## CPU performance analysis
perf top
## Kernel function tracing
sudo perf trace
## System-wide performance record
sudo perf record -g
Metric |
Command |
Description |
CPU Utilization |
mpstat |
Detailed CPU performance |
Memory Usage |
vmstat |
Virtual memory statistics |
I/O Performance |
iostat |
Disk I/O metrics |
Advanced Debugging Techniques
Kernel Module Development
## Create kernel module skeleton
mkdir kernel_module
cd kernel_module
touch Makefile
touch hello.c
Kernel Module Makefile Example
obj-m += hello.o
all:
make -C /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build M=$(PWD) modules
clean:
make -C /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build M=$(PWD) clean
Kernel Crash Analysis
Crash Dump Investigation
## Install kernel debugging tools
sudo apt-get install crash
## Analyze kernel crash dumps
crash /usr/lib/debug/boot/vmlinux-$(uname -r)
eBPF Advanced Tracing
## Install eBPF tools
sudo apt-get install bpfcc-tools
## Network packet tracing
sudo tcptracer-bpfcc
Kernel Security Analysis
Security Module Inspection
## Check loaded security modules
cat /sys/kernel/security/lsm
## Audit kernel security parameters
sudo auditctl -l
Kernel Optimization Strategies
- Monitor system performance
- Use lightweight tracing tools
- Understand system bottlenecks
- Optimize kernel configuration
Kernel Configuration Tuning
## View current kernel parameters
sysctl -a | grep <specific_parameter>
## Temporary parameter modification
sudo sysctl -w parameter=value
Advanced Monitoring with LabEx
## Comprehensive system analysis script
#!/bin/bash
echo "Kernel Performance Overview"
echo "CPU: $(mpstat 1 1)"
echo "Memory: $(vmstat)"
echo "Disk I/O: $(iostat)"
Best Practices
- Use minimal tracing overhead
- Understand system-specific characteristics
- Combine multiple analysis techniques
- Keep kernel and tools updated