Fedora Yet To Decide On x86_64-v3 Packages For Fedora Linux 45
Last month a Fedora Linux change proposal was shared proposing that Fedora 45 be built with x86_64-v3 packages to complement the generic x86_64 (v1) packages currently being compiled. This has the possibility of providing greater performance out of packaged Fedora software but comes with the cost of greater burdens on web mirrors, QA / testing, and related infrastructure impact. The Fedora Engineering and Steering Committee "FESCo" decided today to wait on coming to a decision over this Fedora 45 change proposal.
Due to the performance benefits not being clear-cut and varying by application, the burden on hosting the additional packages and potential extra ISOs, the impact on QA / testing and whether x86_64-v3 would be treated as release criteria, and related concerns, no decision was made at today's FESCo meeting on x86_64-v3 packages. The x86_64-v3 micro-architecture feature level requires AVX/AVX2, BMI2, MOVBE, and other newer CPU instructions since Intel Haswell or AMD Excavator.
The discussion is currently tabled to allow those proposing the change time to perform benchmarks for showing the potential performance impact specifically to Fedora Linux. Plus clarifying their plans for images and infrastructure impact on x86_64, such as if x86_64-v3 ISOs are also planned or potentially limiting those to cloud and server images. Thus for now no decision is made.
Those interested in today's discussion on the matter can see the FESCo meeting logs and minutes. The change proposal in its current form can be found on the Fedora Wiki. This is also the change proposal that is partially backed by Microsoft among other stakeholders. For Microsoft's part, they are looking at rebasing Azure Linux on Fedora reportedly and want x86_64-v3 packages as part of it.
Due to the performance benefits not being clear-cut and varying by application, the burden on hosting the additional packages and potential extra ISOs, the impact on QA / testing and whether x86_64-v3 would be treated as release criteria, and related concerns, no decision was made at today's FESCo meeting on x86_64-v3 packages. The x86_64-v3 micro-architecture feature level requires AVX/AVX2, BMI2, MOVBE, and other newer CPU instructions since Intel Haswell or AMD Excavator.
👁 AMD Llano as the first AMD CPU with x86-64-v3
The discussion is currently tabled to allow those proposing the change time to perform benchmarks for showing the potential performance impact specifically to Fedora Linux. Plus clarifying their plans for images and infrastructure impact on x86_64, such as if x86_64-v3 ISOs are also planned or potentially limiting those to cloud and server images. Thus for now no decision is made.
Those interested in today's discussion on the matter can see the FESCo meeting logs and minutes. The change proposal in its current form can be found on the Fedora Wiki. This is also the change proposal that is partially backed by Microsoft among other stakeholders. For Microsoft's part, they are looking at rebasing Azure Linux on Fedora reportedly and want x86_64-v3 packages as part of it.