Linux Kernel 2.6.11 Supports InfiniBand

To me, this news about the new Linux kernel really shows just how advanced this OS really can be with the right support. It’s totally true, folks! In addition to support for all of the stuff we already enjoy in Linux, the 2.6.11 kernel will also be supporting InfiniBand as well. Read more about it:

The Linux world is bracing for the final release of the new Linux 2.6.11 kernel, which will include a long list of driver updates and patches, with InfiniBand support perhaps being one of most interesting new additions.

Late last night, Linux creator Linus Torvalds issued the fifth release candidate for the 2.6.11 kernel. The first 2.6.11 RC was issued on Jan. 12; the second on Jan 21; the third on Feb. 2; and the fourth on Feb. 12.

In the RC5 posting, Torvalds indicated that it was likely the last RC before the final release.

“Hey, I hoped — rc4 was the last one, but we had some laptop resource conflicts, various ppc TLB flush issues, some possible stack overflows in networking and a number of other details warranting a quick — rc5 before the final 2.6.11,” Torvalds wrote.

“This time it’s really supposed to be a quickie, so people who can, please check it out, and we’ll make the real 2.6.11 asap.”

The long list of updates in the 2.6.11 kernel includes architecture updates for x86-64, ia64, ppc, arm and mips, as well as updates to ACPI (define), DRI (Direct Rendering Infrastructure, which permits direct access to graphics hardware for X Window System users), ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture, which provides MIDI and audio functionality to the Linux), SCSI (define) and the XFS high-performance journaling filesystem.

The 2.6.11 kernel will also be significant in that it includes driver support for the InfiniBand (define) interconnect architecture. InfiniBand, which is derived from its underlying concept of “infinite bandwidth,” is a switched fabric interconnect technology for high-performance network devices that is common in a number of supercomputer clusters.