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As is customary, Torvalds announced version 2.6.16 on the Linux kernel mailing list Monday.
Linux is technically just a kernel, but the term often is used to refer to the entire operating system built around that kernel. Linux sellers such as Red Hat and Novell use their own variations of the kernel that Torvalds releases at kernel.org, but they generally are reluctant to deviate too far from what amounts to a standard.
The Cell support should mean an easier time for IBM as it tries to encourage people to buy Cell servers later this year. The unusual processor also is used in Sony's upcoming PlayStation 3 game console, but IBM expects it to be used for high-performance computing tasks such as medical image processing as well. Cell has a main PowerPC processing engine supplemented by eight special-purpose cores that run tiny programs of their own.
Programming Cell is tough, but support in Linux could ease the challenges. The new kernel includes the SPU (synergistic programming unit) file system, which lets software control and communicate with the different processor cores.
Cell isn't the only multicore processor where Linux work is taking place. Torvalds accepted a number of patches Tuesday so Linux will run on Sun Microsystems' UltraSparc T1 "Niagara"-based servers, according to David Miller, the lead Linux-on-Sparc programmer, who posted the news on his blog.
The UltraSparc T1 has eight cores. Though it typically runs Sun's Solaris operating system, Sun wants to build support for Linux as well.
The new kernel has the Oracle Cluster File System as well. This software governs how a single pool of data is shared by a group of servers, a crucial element of Oracle efforts to make clusters of low-end computers a viable database alternative to expensive multiprocessor servers.
OCFS version 2 is part of Suse Linux Enterprise Server, but Red Hat has its own open-source alternative, the Global File System. GFS isn't part of the mainline kernel, according to the KernelNewbies site.
Linux is most widely used on low-end computers, but work is still under way to adapt it for large multiprocessor systems. One change in this domain is improvement in how Linux handles NUMA--nonuniform memory access.
Large servers most often divide memory so it's in patches near different processors. An operating system tries to make sure a computing task on one processor uses the nearby memory, but sometimes it needs data from a distant, slower-responding area--thus the term "nonuniform" is used to describe access speeds.
The new kernel can move information stored in memory so it's close to the relevant processor without stopping the process using that memory.
See more CNET content tagged:
Linus Torvalds, kernel, multiprocessor, Linux, SuSE Linux Enterprise Server
In addition to not being a geek, I don't have the time to search message boards,etc to solve my Linux queries!
Linux is just fine, if you have the time and inclination to learn it, otherwise, it is little more than another way to surf the internet!
manuals, unless of course you are speaking about the
online manuals that are easily indexed for you
in the event you have a problem pointing and
clicking your mouse. Try it for real, you won't
be diappointed:
http://people.freedesktop.org/~davidr/xgl-demo1.xvid.avi
what Sun has been doing with Linux. I can assure
you that you will be suitably impressed. Considering
this was several years ago, you can clearly see how
far ahead of Windows Linux truly is:
http://www.sun.com/software/looking_glass/demo.xml
In addition to not being a geek, I don't have the time to search message boards,etc to solve my Linux queries!
Linux is just fine, if you have the time and inclination to learn it, otherwise, it is little more than another way to surf the internet!
manuals, unless of course you are speaking about the
online manuals that are easily indexed for you
in the event you have a problem pointing and
clicking your mouse. Try it for real, you won't
be diappointed:
http://people.freedesktop.org/~davidr/xgl-demo1.xvid.avi
what Sun has been doing with Linux. I can assure
you that you will be suitably impressed. Considering
this was several years ago, you can clearly see how
far ahead of Windows Linux truly is:
http://www.sun.com/software/looking_glass/demo.xml
Now, I'm not sure where that bit of information was sourced from, but from what I understand, about half the servers on the internet are running a Linux OS, and I'd doubt that most of these are low-end machines. I'm sure Google is not using low-end hardware to run their entire server farm. IBM and other top-tier hardware makers certainly would not label the type of computers they're marketing as Linux machines to businesses as low-end.
Perhaps the desktop market end users have distros installed on lower-end computers, but most sources estimate that 'Desktop Linux' makes up a small percentage of overall usage.
Now, I'm not sure where that bit of information was sourced from, but from what I understand, about half the servers on the internet are running a Linux OS, and I'd doubt that most of these are low-end machines. I'm sure Google is not using low-end hardware to run their entire server farm. IBM and other top-tier hardware makers certainly would not label the type of computers they're marketing as Linux machines to businesses as low-end.
Perhaps the desktop market end users have distros installed on lower-end computers, but most sources estimate that 'Desktop Linux' makes up a small percentage of overall usage.
The more that 350 supercomputers out of 500 running Linux is wildly more dollars than 350 desktop computers running Linux, and who knows if the number of embedded devices running Linux is not higher both in numbers and in dollars.
Counting the use of Linux is difficult and will probably stay so as the number of Windows machines turned into Linux machines is not counted in any (of the more or less worthless) statitics.
The more that 350 supercomputers out of 500 running Linux is wildly more dollars than 350 desktop computers running Linux, and who knows if the number of embedded devices running Linux is not higher both in numbers and in dollars.
Counting the use of Linux is difficult and will probably stay so as the number of Windows machines turned into Linux machines is not counted in any (of the more or less worthless) statitics.
Linux on a truly Open Source Processor... the highest
throughput processor in the industry!
Nice to know Linux can be hacked into a Playstation - the real
news is the 1U high Open servers what will support it!
You can't pack higher performance into a rack at a cheaper price
any other way... OpenSPARC and Linux downloaded off the Web!
- OpenSPARC T1 Support!!!
- by DavidHalko March 24, 2006 6:28 PM PST
- Now - that is the BOMB!
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
(20 Comments)Linux on a truly Open Source Processor... the highest
throughput processor in the industry!
Nice to know Linux can be hacked into a Playstation - the real
news is the 1U high Open servers what will support it!
You can't pack higher performance into a rack at a cheaper price
any other way... OpenSPARC and Linux downloaded off the Web!