Multi-Core and Linux Kernel

Overview

Semiconductor technological advances in the recent years have led to the inclusion of multiple CPU execution cores in a single processor package. This processor architecture is known as Multi-Core (MC) or Chip Multi Processing (CMP). Any application which is well optimized and scales with SMP will take immediate benefit of the multiple execution cores, provided by the Multi-core architecture. Even if the application is single-threaded, multi-tasking environment will take advantage of these multiple execution cores. 2.6 Linux kernels take instant advantage of the MC architecture. MC also brings in performance optimization opportunities which will further enhance the performance. This paper captures the recent enhancements to the 2.6 Linux Kernel which better support and enhance the performance of Multi-core capable platforms.