news
Kernel: eBPF, NVIDIA, and 7.2 (Linux)
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InfoQ ☛ Podcast: How eBPF Empowers Developers to Observe Inside the Linux Kernel in a Safe and Unintrusive Way
Dan Fineran explores how eBPF has evolved far beyond its roots in packet filtering into a robust, safe way to extend the Linux kernel. He explains how the eBPF "verifier", the security guardrail, enables implementation of deep observability and networking without the risks of traditional kernel modules or the slow upstreaming process.
By Dan Fineran -
NVIDIA's "Blackwell-Next" GPU Appears in Linux Kernel Patches
NVIDIA's next generation of graphics cards, under the "Blackwell-Next" name, began their integration into the Linux kernel some time ago. The latest set of patches now includes updates for handling Compute Express Link (CXL). This particular patch is intriguing because it refers to the next generation of NVIDIA GPUs with the "Blackwell-Next" architecture, even though NVIDIA has publicly confirmed the codenames for its upcoming GPU architectures multiple times. From the "Blackwell" generation, we have seen another variant called "Blackwell Ultra" in the B300 series. However, the next-generation architecture has been publicly confirmed to be called "Rubin." Therefore, it is unclear why NVIDIA's engineers are referring to the next generation GPU design as "Blackwell-Next," given that the codenames have been public for some time.
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XDA ☛ After 6 years and over 360 commits, Linux 7.2 finally removes "a persistent source of bugs"
The world of Linux kernel development never sleeps. Linux 7.1 has only just been released, and people are already getting code added to Linux 7.2's build. Fortunately, because open-source software's development tends to be, you know, open, we can see all the changes Linus Torvalds is accepting to the Linux 7.2 kernel as they happen.
One change that just made the cut marks the end of a six-year-long battle and 362 commits, with the removal of the strncpy API. It's good news for everyone, as strncpy was causing far more problems than it was worth, and should hopefully result in a more stable kernel overall.
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WCCF Tech ☛ NVIDIA Prepares For Next-Gen GPU Architectures As “Blackwell-Next” Spotted In Linux 7.2 Kernel Patch
The Linux 7.2 Kernel Patches have seen the addition of a next-gen NVIDIA GPU architecture, cleverly listed as "Blackwell-Next".