Statically linking an application process with a wrapper library

• US 6,282,703 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Meth, Kalman Z., Nahshon, Itai, Civlin, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holmes, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US09/182,364
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1-11
• US Class Current: 717/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/54 Link editing before load time

Abstract

A technique for statically linking an application process to a wrapper library employed in intercepting one or more calls invoked by the application process. The intercepted calls may comprise system calls or library calls. In a first link step, the application process is statically linked with at least the intercept library, and in one embodiment, all libraries associated with the application process except for the wrapper library. This first statically linking step creates a first module. Thereafter, at least one call invoked by the application process, and to be intercepted by the intercept library, is renamed. The renaming of the intercepted call is from its original name to a temporary name in the standard program library, the intercept library and the application program. This renaming step creates a second module that no longer contains the original name of the at least one intercepted call. The second linking step is to statically link the second module with the wrapper library, thereby creating an executable module wherein the application process is statically linked to all libraries while still providing for interception of the at least one system or library call within the executable.

Claims

1. A method to statically link an application process with a wrapper library and associated system kernel, comprising:

(i) statically linking said application process with an intercept library to create a first module;

(ii) subsequent to said statically linking (i), renaming at least one intercepted call invoked by said application process, said renaming of said at least one intercepted call being from its original name to a temporary name, thereby creating a second module that no longer contains the original name of the at least one intercepted call; and

(iii) statically linking the second module with said wrapper library to create an executable module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said wrapper library comprises a system call wrapper library having a wrap function, and wherein said statically linking (iii) comprises resolving said wrap function to a system call of said associated system kernel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said statically linking (i) further comprises statically linking said application process with a standard program library along with said intercept library to create said first module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said statically linking (i) results in an undefined external reference, and wherein said method further comprises ignoring said undefined external reference during said statically linking (i).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said renaming (ii) comprises identifying at least one system call invoked by said application process having an original name to be intercepted, said at least one system call comprising said at least one intercepted call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said intercept library comprises part of a checkpoint library.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said renaming (ii) comprises identifying at least one library call invoked by said application process having an original name to be intercepted, said at least one library call comprising said at least one intercepted call.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said statically linking (i) further comprises statically linking said application process with a standard program library along with said intercept library to create said first module, and wherein said renaming (ii) comprises renaming said at least one intercepted call from its original name to said temporary name in both said standard program library and said intercept library.

9. A system for statically linking an application process with a wrapper library and associated system kernel, comprising:

means for statically linking said application process with an intercept library to create a first module;

means for renaming, subsequent to creation of said first module, at least one intercepted call invoked by said application process, said renaming of said at least one intercepted call being from its original name to a temporary name, thereby creating a second module that no longer contains the original name of the at least one intercepted call; and

means for statically linking the second module with said wrapper library to create an executable module.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said wrapper library comprises a system call wrapper library having a wrap function, and wherein said means for statically linking said second module with said system call wrapper library comprises means for resolving said wrap function to a system call of said associated system kernel.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for statically linking said application process with said intercept library comprises means for statically linking said application process with a standard program library along with said intercept library to create said first module.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for statically linking said application process with said intercept library temporarily results in an undefined external reference, and wherein said system further comprises means for ignoring said undefined external reference during said linking of said application process to said intercept library.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for renaming said at least one intercepted call comprises means for identifying at least one system call invoked by said application process having an original name to be intercepted, said at least one system call comprising said at least one intercepted call.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said intercept library comprises part of a checkpoint library.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for renaming said at least one intercepted call comprises means for identifying at least one library call invoked by said application process having an original name to be intercepted, said at least one library call comprising said at least one intercepted call.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for statically linking said application process with said intercept library comprises means for statically linking said application process with a standard program library along with said intercept library to create said first module, and wherein said means for renaming comprises means for renaming said at least one intercepted call from its original name to said temporary name in both said standard program library and said intercept library.

17. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for statically linking an application process with a wrapper library and associated system kernel, the computer readable program code means in the article of manufacture comprising;

(i) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect statically linking said application process with an intercept library to create a first module;

(ii) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect renaming, subsequent to creation of said first module, at least one intercepted call invoked by said application process, said renaming of said at least one intercepted call being from its original name to a temporary name, thereby creating a second module that no longer contains the original name of said at least one intercepted call; and

(iii) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect statically linking the second module with said wrapper library to create an executable module.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein said wrapper library comprises a system call wrapper library having a wrap function, and wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect statically linking (iii) said second module with said system call wrapper library comprises computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect resolving said wrap function to a system call of said associated system kernel.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect statically linking (i) comprises computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect statically linking said application process with a standard program library along with said intercept library to create said first module.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect statically linking (i) temporarily results in an undefined external reference, and wherein said article of manufacture further comprises computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect ignoring of said undefined external reference during linking of the application process with said intercept library.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein said intercept library comprises part of a checkpoint library.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect renaming comprises computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect identifying at least one system call invoked by said application process having an original name to be intercepted, said at least one system call comprising said at least one intercepted call.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect renaming comprises computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect identifying at least one library call invoked by said application process having an original name to be intercepted, said at least one library call comprising said at least one intercepted call.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect statically linking (i) further comprises computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect statically linking said application process with a standard program library along with said intercept library to create said first module, and wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect renaming comprises computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect renaming said at least one intercepted call from its original name to said temporary name in both said standard program library and said intercept library.