Computer Science 461
Distributed Computing and Networking
Spring 1999
x-kernel Documentation
Getting Started with the x-kernel: Describes how to intall
and start using the x-kernel without first learning everything
there is to know about it. Once you have a version of the
x-kernel that builds and runs, it is much easier to start
playing with the various features and options discussed in the
Programmer's Manual (see above). Click here
for a postscript version of this tutorial.
x-kernel Programmer's Manual: A comprehensive, although
somewhat cryptic, reference manual. It is intended for users that
are already familiar with the x-kernel. Click
here for a postscript version of this manual.
x-kernel Tutorial: Teaches you how to write x-kernel
protocols. It includes examples from several existing protocols. This
tutorial borrows liberally from Computer Networks: A Systems
Approach (see below). Click here for a
postscript version of this tutorial.
Computer Networks: A Systems Approach: An introductory
networking text book published by Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
Uses the x-kernel to illustrate how to design and
implement network protocols.
x-sim User's Manual: Describes how the x-kernel
can be run as a network simulator rather than on top of a real
network. This simulator, called x-sim, provides a complete
and realistic framework for developing, analyzing, and testing
network protocols. Click here for a postscript
version of this document.
The x-kernel was originally described in a pair of
research papers. These are a good place to start to understand
the motivation and design rationale behind the x-kernel.
[Hutc91]
N. C. Hutchinson and L. L. Peterson. The x-Kernel: An
architecture for implementing network protocols. IEEE Transactions
on Software Engineering, 17(1):64-76, Jan. 1991.
[O'Ma92]
S. W. O'Malley and L. L. Peterson. A dynamic network
architecture. ACM Transactions on Computer Systems,
10(2):110-143, May 1992.
Various components of the x-kernel are described in detail
in a collection of design documents. Note that it is not necessary
to understand how these components are implemented in order to write
protocols; these reports are intended for advanced users that want
to know more about how the x-kernel is implemented.
