STREAMS Framework Integrity

The STREAMS framework guarantees the integrity of the STREAMS data structures, such as queue_t, mblk_t, and dblk_t. This assumes that a module conforms to the DDI/DKI and does not directly access global operating system data structures or facilities not described within the Driver-Kernel Interface.

The q_next and q_ptr fields of the queue_t structure are not modified by the system while a thread is actively executing within a synchronous entry point. The q_next field of the queue_t structure can change while a thread is executing within an asynchronous entry point.

As in previous Solaris system releases, a module must not call another module's put or service procedures directly. The DDI/DKI routines putnext(9F), put(9F), and others in Section 9F must be used to pass a message to another queue. Calling another module's routines directly circumvents the design of the MT STREAMS framework and can yield unknown results.

When making your module MT SAFE, the integrity of private module data structures must be ensured by the module itself. Knowing what the framework supports is critical in deciding what you must provide. The integrity of private module data structures can be maintained by either using the MT STREAMS perimeters to control the concurrency in the module, by using module private locks, or by a combination of the two.