NVIDIA is making advancements in their Linux InfiniBand driver to support 800Gb/s (XDR) speeds. The company has posted a set of six patches for the upstream Linux kernel, aiming for inclusion in Linux 6.7. These patches will enable the 800Gb/s support in the InfiniBand core networking code and the Mellanox MLX5 driver. The NVIDIA Mellanox Skyway GA100 InfiniBand to Ethernet Gateway is believed to be the first product capable of achieving the XDR speeds. This development showcases NVIDIA’s commitment to delivering high-speed networking solutions for servers.

The details of the preparations for the 800Gb/s (XDR) speed implementation in the Linux kernel’s InfiniBand code can be found in the patch series provided by NVIDIA.

Source: Phoronix.

The Linux 6.6 kernel version seems to be delivering significant performance improvements for AMD EPYC server CPUs according to Phoronix. Tests conducted on Genoa and Genoa-X processors as well as Intel Xeon Scalable “Sapphire Rapids” processors showed that the performance of AMD EPYC servers was greatly enhanced with Linux 6.6 compared to Linux 6.5 stable. The improvements were especially notable for certain workloads.

The Linux 6.6 kernel introduces the EEVDF scheduler and workqueue enhancements that benefit chiplet-based CPUs with multiple L3 caches, such as those used by AMD. Overall, the new features in Linux 6.6 seem to be positively impacting AMD server CPU performance.

Source: Phoronix.

Phoronix is reporting that Linux 6.6-rc2 has been released by Linus Torvalds, coinciding with the 32nd anniversary of the introduction of the Linux 0.01 kernel version. Torvalds notes that this release does not have any standout features, but includes various fixes and changes in drivers, along with some tracing fixes and other minor updates.

Source: Phoronix.

Phoronix reports that early testing of the Linux 6.6 kernel shows impressive gains for AMD’s high core count server processors, particularly the EPYC 9754 “Bergamo.” The new Linux 6.6 kernel features the Earliest Eligible Virtual Deadline First (EEVDF) scheduler, which is a major improvement over the existing Completely Fair Scheduler (CFS). The EEVDF scheduler has shown to help with latency sensitive tasks and has led to a lot of CFS code being removed. Additionally, the Linux 6.6 workqueue improvements benefit AMD CPUs and other chiplet-based CPUs with multiple L3 caches. In testing, Linux 6.6 has shown dramatic improvements on higher core count processors like the AMD EPYC 9754.

The article discusses the testing of the Linux 6.6 kernel on an AMD EPYC 9754 server configuration with 128 cores and 256 threads per socket. The benchmarks were carried out using Linux 6.5.1 stable and then with Linux 6.6-rc1. The results showed significant performance improvements with the Linux 6.6 kernel.

Source: Phoronix.

A post on Hackaday shows an interactive map of the Linux kernel that has been created by Costa Shulyupin. The map shows the structure of the kernel and includes over 400 prominent functions, each of which is a link to a cross-reference site for further information. The kernel is divided into 7 rows and 7 columns, with domains such as security, debugging, block devices, and address families. The map also includes arrows to show the relationships between different functions.

This interactive map of the Linux kernel is a valuable resource for those interested in understanding the structure and functionality of the kernel. It provides a visual representation of the major levels of abstraction and includes links to definitions and usages of specific functions. By exploring the map, users can gain a deeper understanding of how the kernel operates and how different functions are interconnected. This knowledge can help in troubleshooting, optimizing performance, and developing software that interact with the kernel. Additionally, the map serves as a gateway to further learning, allowing users to delve into specific domains and terms related to the Linux kernel.

If you would like to learn more about the Linux kernel, consider one of these books ☺️

• How Linux Works: What Every Superuser Should Know by Brian Ward
• Linux Kernel Development by Robert Love
• Understanding the Linux Kernel by Daniel Bovet and Marco Cesati

Source: Hackaday.