kmem_alloc, kmem_zalloc, kmem_free - allocate kernel memory
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/kmem.h>
void *kmem_alloc(size_t size, int flag);
void *kmem_zalloc(size_t size, int flag);
void kmem_free(void *buf, size_t size);
Architecture independent level 1 (DDI/DKI).
size
Number of bytes to allocate.
flag
Determines whether caller can sleep for memory. Possible
flags are KM_SLEEP to allow sleeping until memory is available, or
KM_NOSLEEP to return NULL immediately if memory is not
available.
buf
Pointer to allocated memory.
The kmem_alloc() function allocates size bytes of kernel memory
and returns a pointer to the allocated memory. The allocated memory is at
least double-word aligned, so it can hold any C data structure. No greater
alignment can be assumed. flag determines whether the caller can sleep
for memory. KM_SLEEP allocations may sleep but are guaranteed to
succeed. KM_NOSLEEP allocations are guaranteed not to sleep but may
fail (return NULL) if no memory is currently available. The initial
contents of memory allocated using kmem_alloc() are random garbage.
The kmem_zalloc() function is like kmem_alloc() but
returns zero-filled memory.
The kmem_free() function frees previously allocated kernel
memory. The buffer address and size must exactly match the original
allocation. Memory cannot be returned piecemeal.
If successful, kmem_alloc() and kmem_zalloc() return a pointer to
the allocated memory. If KM_NOSLEEP is set and memory cannot be
allocated without sleeping, kmem_alloc() and kmem_zalloc()
return NULL.
The kmem_alloc() and kmem_zalloc() functions can be called from
interrupt context only if the KM_NOSLEEP flag is set. They can be
called from user context with any valid flag. The kmem_free()
function can be called from from user, interrupt, or kernel context.
Memory allocated using kmem_alloc() is not paged. Available memory is
therefore limited by the total physical memory on the system. It is also
limited by the available kernel virtual address space, which is often the more
restrictive constraint on large-memory configurations.
Excessive use of kernel memory is likely to affect overall system
performance. Overcommitment of kernel memory will cause the system to hang
or panic.
Misuse of the kernel memory allocator, such as writing past the
end of a buffer, using a buffer after freeing it, freeing a buffer twice, or
freeing a null or invalid pointer, will corrupt the kernel heap and may
cause the system to corrupt data or panic.
The initial contents of memory allocated using kmem_alloc()
are random garbage. This random garbage may include secure kernel data.
Therefore, uninitialized kernel memory should be handled carefully. For
example, never copyout(9F) a potentially uninitialized buffer.
kmem_alloc(0, flag) always returns NULL, but if
KM_SLEEP is set, this behavior is considered to be deprecated; the
system may be configured to explicitly panic in this case in lieu of returning
NULL. kmem_free(NULL, 0) is legal, however.