sysctl OKRs 2025
Objective 1 ✅: Provide contextual info on series and the subsystem in general
Motivation is to increase awareness on what is needed in the subsystem, avoid misunderstandings and have a way to point to the docs.
Key Result 1.1 ✅:
Track all sysctl patch sets through sysctl patchwork
Key Result 1.2 ✅:
At least once a linux kernel release, update the notes about current development in sysctl ReadTheDocs web site
Key Result 1.3 ✅:
Release the `sysclt ReadTheDocs web site`_
Key Result 1.4 ⏳:
Add the `sysclt ReadTheDocs web site`_ to the MAINTAINERS file
Objective 2 ✅: Remove non-core ctl_tables from kernel/sysctl.c
The motivation is to avoid merge conflicts in kerne/sysctl.c, and to to give back the power of managing the subsystem specific sysctls to their respective maintainers. There are currently two arrays that we target in kernel/sysctl.c: vm_table and kernel_table. More info at Emptying kern_table
Key Result 2.1 ✅:
Participate in moving at least 80% of the ctl_tables in vm_table to
their respective subsystems
Key Result 2.2 ✅:
Participate in moving at least 80% of the ctl_tables in kern_table to
their respective subsystems
Objective 3 ⏳: Const qualify all the ctl_tables in the linux kernel
The motivation is to const qualifying ctl_table structs prevents unintended modification of proc_handler function pointers by placing them in the .rodata section.
Key Result 3.1 ⏳:
Const qualify the net directory
iwcm_ctl_table (depend on net)
ucma_ctl_table (depend on net)
Note
Const qualifying the network sysctl tables is tricky as they change the permission (ctl_table->mode) based on what namespace that are generated from. This is done in order to protect the namespaces from interfering with each other. Still need to find a clean transition for this one.
Key Result 3.2 ✅:
Const qualify the ctl_table structs that are modified before calling the sysctl register function. This is an initial list (possibly more?):
memory_allocation_profiling_sysctls
loadpin_sysctl_table.