Source URL: https://linux.slashdot.org/story/25/07/29/2118206/linux-616-brings-faster-file-systems-improved-confidential-memory-support-and-more-rust-support?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
Source: Slashdot
Title: Linux 6.16 Brings Faster File Systems, Improved Confidential Memory Support, and More Rust Support
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Summary: The article details significant updates in the Linux 6.16 kernel focusing on improvements relevant to security, performance, and hardware support, particularly through the integration of Rust programming language, support for confidential computing, and enhancements in file systems. These advancements are particularly beneficial for industries reliant on secure computing environments and high-performance graphics workloads.
Detailed Description:
– **Integration of Rust in the Kernel**:
– The Linux 6.16 kernel now features Rust bindings for key subsystems like the driver core and PCI device subsystem.
– Integration of Rust aims to facilitate the addition of Rust-based hardware drivers, enhancing security and performance.
– New Rust abstractions introduced in Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) improve various aspects, such as ioctl handling and memory management, especially for high-performance GPUs from AMD, Nvidia, and Intel.
– **Security Enhancements**:
– The kernel now supports Intel’s Trusted Execution Technology (TXT) and Trusted Domain Extensions (TDX).
– Enhanced support for AMD’s Secure Encrypted Virtualization and Secure Memory Encryption (SEV-SNP) introduces confidential computing, which ensures the encryption of virtual machine memory, significantly improving cloud security.
– This reduces the risk of data breaches in cloud environments, as unauthorized access to data would be obstructed.
– **File System Improvements**:
– Key updates to the XFS filesystem include support for large atomic writes, enhancing data integrity during multi-block operations.
– Ext4 filesystem improvements include faster commit paths and support for atomic multi-fsblock writes, resulting in speed boosts of up to 37% for sequential I/O workloads.
– **Performance Updates**:
– Kernel improvements introduce support for Intel’s Advanced Performance Extensions (APX), which doubles x86 general-purpose registers, improving performance on next-gen processors.
– Optimizations for Nvidia’s AI-focused Blackwell GPUs and TCP/IP updates enhance networking tasks offloaded to GPUs, potentially benefiting high-performance systems.
– **User Experience Enhancements**:
– Users can now stream audio over USB even when the system is asleep, providing a better experience for multimedia tasks.
Overall, the Linux 6.16 kernel brings essential updates aimed at developers in cloud computing, security, and high-performance computing, effectively addressing advanced requirements in security and efficiency for modern computing environments.