NetBSD 5.0 Better on Multi-CPU Systems
The NetBSD project has released version 5.0 of its free UNIX derivative. The release above all improves performance and scalability on multiprocessor and multicore systems.
Multithreading applications can use more CPUs and processor cores more efficiently with the new NetBSD. Developers have reworked the threading subsystem, brought kernel synchronization to a better footing, and rewrote the scheduler and its real-time extensions. New support for processor sets (psets), cpusets and thread affinity allows for binding processes or threads to specific CPUs or CPU groupings.
Enhancements to NetBSD 5.0 include Power Management Framework (PMF) and ACPI suspend/resume support for a range of laptops. Also included are write support for UDF filesystems and a preview of metadata journaling for FFS filesystems (known as Write Ahead Physical Block Logging, or WAPBL).
The project release notes contain a full list of changes, as does the changelog. NetBSD 5.0 is available for download as source code and binaries at various mirrors over FTP, bittorent and other protocols.
The NetBSD Foundation is running a funding drive to help finance its next version 6.0. The foundation reports that most of the 2007 donations went into improving the multiprocessor system.
Tag Cloud
News
-
An Even Smaller Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced an even smaller version of the tiny computer that will fit into a DIMM slot.
-
Newly Discovered Android Vulnerability Causes Privilege Escalation
A new class of problems lets a malicious app pre-configure an invisible privilege update.
-
Facebook Rolls Out New PHP-like Programming Language
New Hack language adds static typing and other conveniences.
-
Fedora Announces Innovative Crytography Policy System
New crypto policy system will offer easier configuration and more uniform security.
-
Shuttleworth Calls for Declarative Firmware
Ubuntu founder denounces insecurity in proprietary, close-source software blobs.
-
New TLS Attack Takes the S out of HTTPS
Vulnerability affects many Linux web servers
-
Munich Adopts Kolab
The Bavarian capital shuns Microsoft, Google, and other alternatives to implement an open source groupware solution.
-
Canonical Announces Ubuntu Smartphones
Phone vendor partnerships bring Mark Shuttleworth's dream of Ubuntu on a phone a step closer to reality.
-
Piviti Seeks Funding
Donors will get to vote on new features for the free video editor.
-
Debian Tech Committee Votes for systemd
Debian project puts init out to pasture and says no to Ubuntu's Upstart.