Course Description:
Linux is now being designed into everything from super computers down to mobile phones. Fortunately, to deploy Linux in your design very few applications require the knowledge to re-program the actual Linux kernel. However, most applications do require some customisation for the specific hardware devices in their design. This course caters for the many engineers needing only the skills to design and test a Linux device driver.

Course Objectives:
• To provide an overview of the Linux kernel internal mechanisms available to a driver developer
• To become a proficient Linux driver developer for character, block and network devices
• To recognise resource eating inefficient drivers, and tailor to minimise RT latency.

Delegates will learn:
• The kernel module development cycle: edit, compile,
load, test and unload kernel module drivers
• To write, compile and link simple application programs to test drivers
• To build a kernel with a new built-in driver
• To obtain a high-level appreciation of the relationship between GNU, Open Source, GPL, and LGPL.

Pre-Requisites:
• Good C
• Knowledge of embedded micros, interrupts etc.
• Some Linux or any form of Unix familiarity would be helpful

This course would be an excellent compliment to the Feabhas EL-503: Developing for Embedded Linux. This is not mandatory though.

Who Should Attend:
Engineers interested in interfacing to custom hardware on a Linux platform. Linux application programmers interested in accessing Linux at a lower level.

Duration:
Five days.

Course Material:
• A delegate handbook containing all the theory presentation slides and laboratory exercises
• CD containing all kernels and utilities for the laboratory exercises.

Related courses:
EL-503: Developing for Embedded Linux.

Laboratory Exercises:
• Drivers are written or customized to explore all theoretical material using a PowerPC embedded target running Linux
• For driver debugging, exercises include using conventional printk and oops methods, as well as advanced sessions using the GNU debugger, gdb. The workshops are completed by adding a driver “permanently” to a kernel image.