Con Kolivas [interview [1]] has begun a new performance improving patchset for the 2.6 kernel [blog [2]] [blog [3]]. On Con's kernel patch homepage [4] he says, "these are patches designed to improve system responsiveness with specific emphasis on the desktop." The patchset includes a number of interesting patches, including autoregulated virtual memory swappiness, batch scheduling, isochronous scheduling, improved support for hyperthreading, and Jens Axboe's CFQ I/O scheduler [story [5]]. Refer to Con's patch page for a more complete explanation of each of these patches. Read on for his full release announcement.
If you're using the 2.4 kernel, Con's earlier 2.4-ck patchset [story [6]] is now maintained by Eric Hustvedt and available for download here [7].
From: Con Kolivas [8] [email blocked] To: linux-kernel Subject: 2.6.1-ck3 Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004 14:43:21 +1100 First public 2.6 -ck patchset Download, descriptions, split out patches available here: http://kernel.kolivas.org [9] Summary: O21int This is a very small fix for the interactivity estimator. It will be included in 2.6.2 mainline. am6 Autoregulates the virtual memory swappiness. batch7 Batch scheduling. iso1 Isochronous scheduling. htbase1 Base patch for hyperthread modifications httweak1 Tiny performance enhancements for hyperthreading htnice2 Make "nice" hyperthread smart htbatch1 Make batch scheduling hyperthread smart cfqioprio Complete Fair Queueing disk scheduler and I/O priorities schedioprio Set initial I/O priorities according to cpu scheduling policy and nice.
Related Links:
- Archive of above thread [10]
- KernelTrap interview with Con Kolivas [11]