1 files changed, 36 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/packages/linux-kernel/README.md b/packages/linux-kernel/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ee9a5175
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/linux-kernel/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# About
+
+VyOS runs on a custom Linux Kernel (which is 4.19) at the time of this writing.
+This repository holds a Jenkins Pipeline which is used to build the Custom
+Kernel (x86_64/amd64 at the moment) and all required out-of tree modules.
+
+VyOS does not utilize the build in Intel Kernel drivers for its NICs as those
+Kernels sometimes lack features e.g. configurable receive-side-scaling queues.
+On the other hand we ship additional not mainlined features as WireGuard VPN.
+
+## Kernel
+
+The Kernel is build from the vanilla repositories hosted at https://git.kernel.org.
+VyOS requires two additional patches to work which are stored in the patches/kernel
+folder.
+
+### Config
+
+The Kernel configuration used is [x86_64_vyos_defconfig](x86_64_vyos_defconfig)
+which will be copied on demand during the Pipeline run into the `arch/x86/configs`i
+direcotry of the Kernel source tree.
+
+Other configurations can be added in the future easily.
+
+### Modules
+
+VyOS utilizes several Out-of-Tree modules (e.g. WireGuard, Accel-PPP and Intel
+network interface card drivers). Module source code is retrieved from the
+upstream repository and - when needed - patched so it can be build using this
+pipeline.
+
+In the past VyOS maintainers had a fork of the Linux Kernel, WireGuard and
+Accel-PPP. This is fine but increases maintenance effort. By utilizing vanilla
+repositories upgrading to new versions is very easy - only the branch/commit/tag
+used when cloning the repository via [Jenkinsfile](Jenkinsfile) needs to be
+adjusted.