Kernel Basics

Linux is truly just the kernel. Red Hat and the other distributions in existence today are software and configuration files packaged with the Linux kernel to bring you an entire operating system (although we still refer to any distribution as Linux). Because the kernel is really what runs everything, understanding how it works is essential. The kernel can be used to load new drivers, support new hardware, or even offer a custom kernel for individual needs. The Linux kernel is modular, and because of this, you can load and unload kernel modules even after the system has booted. In this chapter, we look at four commands that help when working with the kernel:

uname	Displays information about the kernel
lsmod	Lists currently loaded kernel modules
modinfo	Displays information about a kernel module
sysctl	Enables you to tune kernel parameters