Linux founder, Linus Torvalds has released the third new Linux kernel of 2011. The 2.6.39 kernel follows the 2.6.38 kernel that debuted in March.
In terms of new features, the 2.6.39 kernel includes a new block device plugging model. The new plugging model is based on a per-thread approach and is intended to prevent code locking in an effort to improve Linux performance.
From a virtualization perspective, the KVM hypervisor now handles asynchronous page fault processing. Some of the virtualization improvements have already been backported by Red Hat into their new Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.1 release.
“We are backporting things like virtualization enhancements in KVM that optimize for how level networking is handled,” Tim Burke, vice president of Linux Engineering at Red Hat, told InternetNews.com. “Both in terms of how it deals with low level network queues and with the CPU scheduling efficiency of virtualized guests.”
