RISC-V Adds Support For Persistent Memory Devices In Linux 6.2

[phoronix]

Phoronix: RISC-V Adds Support For Persistent Memory Devices In Linux 6.2

The RISC-V processor architecture changes were merged this week for the Linux 6.2 cycle...

https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-6.2-RISC-V

[EphemeralEft]

Just in time for the death of Optane

[coder]

Just in time for the death of Optane

There are other kinds of NVDIMMs, and this can go even further in the era of CXL.

However, I think a lot of people using Optane DIMMs were just using it as a cheap substitute for DRAM, rather than as nonvolatile memory.

[coder]

Michael, I'm curious who've been the main contributors to RISC-V, in 2022. I'm not sure how easy it is to mine that information, but I think you've published per-company rankings of commits before?

Other architectures would be interesting, also. Mainly ARM and Power, IMO.

[OneTimeShot]

Where do new RISC-V processor instructions fit into to this? Isn't persistent memory just another device that you can mmap? Or am I missing some features not handled by the mass storage subsystem?

Edit: Just Googled it. The processor extensions are about memory access ordering, cache prefetch and clearing. Seems designed to control how the CPU will access memory areas rather than anything too special. As the RAM is not thrown away if the computer loses power, it will help recover/not corrupt data when the system restarts. Presumably it'll be set up when the device driver maps the non-volatile memory.

[ayumu]

I heard a lot of people got their VisionFive 2 boards this week. Looking forward to seeing the first reviews.

[Spacefish]

China is really pushing RISC-V now since more sanctions hit. Good for RISC-V though.
Really looking forward to RISC-V based media boxes, Smartphones, Tablets and notebooks.
Since ARM is somehow limiting custom designs for future generations, RISC-V is a real alternative, furthermore ARM is forced to lower royalities even more, once peformant RISC-V SoCs hit the broad market.
Wonder if there will be an import ban then..

[coder]

Since ARM is somehow limiting custom designs for future generations, RISC-V is a real alternative,

Yeah, ARM has recently turned into a real shitshow. There's some insane degree of brinksmanship going on with them and Qualcomm, right now.

https://www.semianalysis.com/p/arms-...-qualcomm-must

I wonder if there's anything anyone else can do, like if Microsoft can step in, or maybe the FTC gets pulled in, somehow.