SUSE Linux Enterprise / openSUSE Leap Pursuing x86_64-v2 Optimized Libraries

[phoronix]

Phoronix: SUSE Linux Enterprise / openSUSE Leap Pursuing x86_64-v2 Optimized Libraries

In addition to the rolling-release openSUSE Tumbleweed looking at HWCAPS / x86-64 feature levels for being able to provide greater out-of-the-box performance by selectively loading more tuned libraries depending upon the CPU in use, SUSE Linux Enterprise / openSUSE Leap are also looking at offering similar functionality that may turn up in time for the next point release / service pack...

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=openSUSE-Leap-SLE-x86_64-v2

[PFee]

Typo: "until the second update from now, Leap 15.4 / SUSE Linux Enterprise 15 SP5" should refer to Leap 15.5.

Edit: Fixed now, thanks.

[skeevy420]

If I were SUSE I'd keep on doing exactly what they're doing versus going the RHEL route and dropping the earliest of x86_64 and new oddball Intel CPUs. If RHEL wants to tell paying customers that new, low power Intel Atom systems are unsupported then that's on them.

I'm glad to see HWCAPS and v# come into use.

[smartalgorithm]

my expectations for SUSE 16 are really high... so far so good.

[euduvda]

Awesome! I think HWCAPS will be a nice feature, now just hoping everything is upstreamed and distros start using and collaborating...

[smitty3268]

If RHEL wants to tell paying customers that new, low power Intel Atom systems are unsupported then that's on them.

From what I can tell, the last Atom systems without support were from prior to 2016, and the last server Atoms were 3 years earlier than that.

If RHEL9 doesn't release until 2023, that's at a minimum 8 year old Atom CPUs.

I highly doubt they're going to lose much business on that. Any company cheap enough to still be using those machines isn't going to pay for new software licenses either.

[skeevy420]

From what I can tell, the last Atom systems without support were from prior to 2016, and the last server Atoms were 3 years earlier than that.

If RHEL9 doesn't release until 2023, that's at a minimum 8 year old Atom CPUs.

I highly doubt they're going to lose much business on that. Any company cheap enough to still be using those machines isn't going to pay for new software licenses either.

While I can't disagree with that assessment, it wouldn't at all surprise me to see new low-end or power-saving CPU models come without AVX between now and then. v1 seems to be a perfectly fine spec to turn into a strictly low power x86 CPU core.

Hmm...v1 little and v3/v4 big cores...not like the power efficient purposed cores need all those instructions...I'd design it like that.

[smitty3268]

While I can't disagree with that assessment, it wouldn't at all surprise me to see new low-end or power-saving CPU models come without AVX between now and then. v1 seems to be a perfectly fine spec to turn into a strictly low power x86 CPU core.

Hmm...v1 little and v3/v4 big cores...not like the power efficient purposed cores need all those instructions...I'd design it like that.

v2 doesn't require AVX, only SSE4.2.

[skeevy420]

v2 doesn't require AVX, only SSE4.2.

Offhand and in a hurry I always think 2 does. I remember that that's where the cutoff line is only I go down instead of up.

Then the big.LITTLE x86 with V1 or V2 would work, really. I have to imagine that Zen 3 & Somelake would be even faster and more efficient if they had less instructions to have to consider. I can even see product lines like v3.V2 for home/power-efficient/workstation and v4.V2 for workstation/server/high-end. Not like most home users need the full AVXBBQ.

AMD filed big.LITTLE x86 patents the other day so it's worth speculating especially in conjunction with HWCAPS.

[Aryma]

doesreally make a big difference between complied lib or software with or without AVX2 ?