Currently measuring in at 32 patches, SUSE engineer Juergen Gross has been leading the effort to end the Linux kernel's usage of their 32-bit model specific register (MSR) interfaces so the more modern 64-bit interfaces can be exclusively used. This allows for better code unification and cleaning up the MSR code...
The retirement of 32-bit MSR interfaces is part of an ongoing trend to modernize and unify the Linux kernel as computing hardware predominantly shifted to 64-bit architectures years ago.
This incremental update streamlines kernel development, reduces technical debt, and can subtly improve performance and security by eliminating legacy code paths.
The Linux kernel will operate with a more unified and efficient MSR interface, reducing complexity for developers and potentially improving host system stability.
- · Linux Kernel Developers
- · 64-bit operating systems
- · Cloud infrastructure
- · Legacy 32-bit only systems
The Linux kernel codebase becomes cleaner and more maintainable by removing outdated 32-bit MSR code.
This modernization contributes to a more secure and performant kernel by reducing potential attack surfaces and optimizing MSR interactions.
The continued deprecation of 32-bit components across operating systems may eventually lead to higher baseline requirements for older hardware, subtly accelerating hardware obsolescence.
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Read at Phoronix