Avoid Using Non-DDI/DKI Interfaces

Many architecture-specific features have been hidden from driver writers behind DDI/DKI interfaces. Specific examples are elements of the dev_info structure, user structure, proc structure, and page tables. If the driver has been using unadvertised interfaces, it must be changed to use DDI/DKI interfaces that provide the required functionality. If the driver continues to use unadvertised interfaces, it loses all the source and binary compatibility features of the DDI/DKI. For example, previous releases had an undocumented routine called as_fault( ) that could be used to lock down user pages in memory. This routine still exists, but is not part of the DDI/DKI, so it should not be used. The only documented way to lock down user memory is to use physio(9F).

Do not use any undocumented fields of structures. Documented fields are in Section 9S of the Solaris 2.6 Reference Manual. Do not use fields, structures, variables, or macros just because they are in a header file.

Dynamically allocate structures whenever possible. If buf(9S) structure is needed, do not declare one. Instead, declare a pointer to one, and call getrbuf(9F) to allocate it.

Even using kmem_alloc(sizeof(struct buf)) is not allowed, because the size of a buf(9S) structure might change in future releases.