DYNAMIC UPDATE OF PLUGGABLE MODULES USING A REFERENCE MANAGER

摘要

A method is provided for replacing a loadable software module in an operating system. The method includes: maintaining a reference count for a loadable software module associated with a kernel of the operating system (12); linking a replacement software module for the loadable software module into the kernel of the operating system (14); receiving a resource request for the loadable software module after the replacement software module is linked into the kernel; and directing the resource request for the loadable software module to the replacement software module (18). The method may further include unlinking the loadable software module from the kernel of the operating system when there are no longer any active references to the loadable module (19).