'\" te
.\"  Copyright 1989 AT&T
.\"  Copyright (c) 2006, Sun Microsystems, Inc.,  All Rights Reserved
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.TH kmem_alloc 9F "16 Jan 2006" "SunOS 5.11" "Kernel Functions for Drivers"
.SH NAME
kmem_alloc, kmem_zalloc, kmem_free \- allocate kernel memory
.SH SYNOPSIS
.LP
.nf
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/kmem.h>



\fBvoid *\fR\fBkmem_alloc\fR(\fBsize_t\fR \fIsize\fR, \fBint\fR \fIflag\fR);
.fi

.LP
.nf
\fBvoid *\fR\fBkmem_zalloc\fR(\fBsize_t\fR \fIsize\fR, \fBint\fR \fIflag\fR);
.fi

.LP
.nf
\fBvoid\fR \fBkmem_free\fR(\fBvoid*\fR\fIbuf\fR, \fBsize_t\fR \fIsize\fR);
.fi

.SH INTERFACE LEVEL
.sp
.LP
Architecture independent level 1 (DDI/DKI).
.SH PARAMETERS
.sp
.ne 2
.mk
.na
\fB\fIsize\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 8n
.rt  
Number of bytes to allocate.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.mk
.na
\fB\fIflag\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 8n
.rt  
Determines whether caller can sleep for memory. Possible flags are
\fBKM_SLEEP\fR to allow sleeping until memory is available, or \fBKM_NOSLEEP\fR
to return \fINULL\fR immediately if memory is not available.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.mk
.na
\fB\fIbuf\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 8n
.rt  
Pointer to allocated memory.
.RE

.SH DESCRIPTION
.sp
.LP
The \fBkmem_alloc()\fR function allocates \fIsize\fR 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. \fIflag\fR determines whether the caller can sleep for memory.
\fBKM_SLEEP\fR allocations may sleep but are guaranteed to succeed.
\fBKM_NOSLEEP\fR allocations are guaranteed not to sleep but may fail (return
\fINULL\fR) if no memory is currently available. The initial contents of memory
allocated using \fBkmem_alloc()\fR are random garbage.
.sp
.LP
The \fBkmem_zalloc()\fR function is like \fBkmem_alloc()\fR but returns
zero-filled memory.
.sp
.LP
The \fBkmem_free()\fR function frees previously allocated kernel memory. The
buffer address and size must exactly match the original allocation. Memory
cannot be returned piecemeal.
.SH RETURN VALUES
.sp
.LP
If successful, \fBkmem_alloc()\fR and \fBkmem_zalloc()\fR return a pointer to
the allocated memory. If \fBKM_NOSLEEP\fR is set and memory cannot be allocated
without sleeping, \fBkmem_alloc()\fR and \fBkmem_zalloc()\fR return \fINULL\fR.
.SH CONTEXT
.sp
.LP
The \fBkmem_alloc()\fR and \fBkmem_zalloc()\fR functions can be called from
interrupt context only if the \fBKM_NOSLEEP\fR flag is set. They can be called
from user context with any valid \fIflag\fR. The \fBkmem_free()\fR function can
be called from from user, interrupt, or kernel context.
.SH SEE ALSO
.sp
.LP
\fBcopyout\fR(9F), \fBfreerbuf\fR(9F), \fBgetrbuf\fR(9F)
.sp
.LP
\fIWriting Device Drivers\fR
.SH WARNINGS
.sp
.LP
Memory allocated using \fBkmem_alloc()\fR 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.
.sp
.LP
Excessive use of kernel memory is likely to affect overall system performance.
Overcommitment of kernel memory will cause the system to hang or panic.
.sp
.LP
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.
.sp
.LP
The initial contents of memory allocated using \fBkmem_alloc()\fR are random
garbage. This random garbage may include secure kernel data. Therefore,
uninitialized kernel memory should be handled carefully. For example, never
\fBcopyout\fR(9F) a potentially uninitialized buffer.
.SH NOTES
.sp
.LP
\fBkmem_alloc(0\fR, \fIflag\fR\fB)\fR always returns \fINULL\fR.
\fBkmem_free(NULL, 0)\fR is legal.