Zstd-Compressing The Linux Kernel Has Been Brought Up Again

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Zstd-Compressing The Linux Kernel Has Been Brought Up Again

Using the Zstd compression algorithm to compress the Linux kernel image has been brought up again with new patches expected in the coming weeks...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Zstd-Kernel-Image-2019

[ms178]

I don't get it why there was backlash to add Zstd, the developers showed them the numbers and it makes sense to use it in several widely used scenarios. Other obsolete algorithms can be dropped after this lands. So why does it take so long to get something beneficial like this into the Kernel?

[R41N3R]

I'm waiting for this change to land, I want to use it immediately. Zstd had been really beneficial for btrfs too!

[Hi-Angel]

I don't understand, why it's even a deal, adding a compression support for an algorithm that is already in the kernel (e.g. btrfs can use zstd since 4.14 I think).

[Raka555]

Hope it is not politics again ...
If any compression method deserves to be added, it is zstd.

[Raka555]

Michael: How about some zstd/lz4/xz/etc ... graphs.

Compression/Decompression speed vs ratio or size (at all their supported compression levels) would be awesome

[dwagner]

If shaving off 1s of boot time is relevant for you, then you clearly have a severe stability issue with your operating system.

BTW: (De-)compression algorithms need very thorough testing against security vulnerabilities. If you put such an algorithm into the kernel, make very, very sure that you have tested it with all kinds of random and maliciously crafted input.

[LoveRPi]

Ubuntu got it right with lz4. Adding support for Zstd isn't a problem. Going forward, IO will continue to scale faster than CPU which is already the case.

[Zan Lynx]

If shaving off 1s of boot time is relevant for you, then you clearly have a severe stability issue with your operating system.

Windows systems can boot from hibernate in about 3 seconds. Why should Linux take longer?

[eva2000]

Michael: How about some zstd/lz4/xz/etc ... graphs.

Compression/Decompression speed vs ratio or size (at all their supported compression levels) would be awesome

FYI, I posted my own gzip vs xz vs zstd and other benchmarks at https://community.centminmod.com/thr...-xz-etc.17259/ - zstd has so many options beyond default which can tune it for either high compression ratios or compression/decompression speed