5.0 Technical

5.1 Multiprocessor optimization

SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time should run on Multiprocessor systems for maximum benefits.

5.2 Enhancements and Features

• A number of scheduler improvements and fixes that increase performance as well as reduce latency for critical applications.
• A new adaptive locking algorithm for kernel locks that significantly increases throughput for applications. As opposed to immediately releasing the CPU when waiting on a contended resource, the adaptive locking enhancement allows the task to wait in a preemptible manner for the resource to become available. This dramatically decreases the number of context switches on the system, increases throughput, and potentially decrease latency for certain applications.
• The bigsmp kernel for i386 now supports up to 64 GB of RAM.
• SMB load balancing (2D push/pull) improvements have been added to the RT scheduler.
• Locking and efficiency have been improved with the adaptive state-driven locking and PI with lateral lock stealing.
• The High Resolution Timer and clock system has been updated.  The clock source is now readable by non-root.  The NOHz (tickless operation) is now disabled by default.
• The futex subsystem has been updated.  An absolute time wait function has been added (FUTEX_WAIT_ABS) which is made use of by the alternate pthread library (libpthread-alt) provided by SLERT 10 SP3.
• The IBM EDAC and SMI remediation technologies have been updates to IBM's latest products and CPU support has been added.
• Network drivers have been updated: bnx2, netxen, r8169, e1000, and others.
• The Emulex and Qlogic SCSI drivers have been updated.
• A warning is issued if a non-PI futex is locked by an RT task.
• Oprofile support has been updated for the latest AMD and Intel processors.
  
• Support for the latest stable version of OFED 1.4.1 included in SLES10SP3 is included in this release. OFED 1.4.1 includes a number of new features and enhancements for Infiniband fabrics.  If you use OFED, please install the OFED pattern when you install SLES 10 SP3.  The required kmps for SLERT 10 SP3 will be installed automatically when you install the SLERT 10 SP3 Add-On.
  
• Upgrade of PTPd to the latest upstream git snapshot.  Inclusion of the Precision Time Protocol package (PTP) version 1. PTPd implements the Precision Time Protocol, defined by the IEEE 1588 standard. PTPd allows for precise time synchronization between nodes on a Ethernet based network.
  
• Update of the cset command (cpuset package version 1.5.1) which is an application to make using the cpusets facilities in the Linux kernel easier. The command allows manipulation of cpusets on the system and provides higher level functions such as implementation and control of a basic CPU shielding setup.
• Upgrade to the latest rt-tests package, including cyclictest. Cyclictest is a program designed to measure wakeup latency on Real Time Linux. You can use this command to help tune your system to optimum real time performance.  It is found in the rt-tests package in SLERT.
  The rt-tests package distribution also includes SMI latency detection software (hwlatdetect). This package is not provided in SLERT 10 SP3. Contact support for dignosing suspected hardware or smi-related latency issues.

5.3 Adjusting the ifcfg-ibX IPoIB Network Configuration Files

BOOTPROTO='static'
IPADDR='193.168.1.2'
NETMASK='255.255.255.0'
NETWORK='193.168.1.0'
BROADCAST='193.168.1.255'
REMOTE_IPADDR=''
STARTMODE='onboot'
WIRELESS='no'

/sbin/rcnetwork restart

5.4 Known problems

There are no known problems for SLERT10SP3 at release time.

6.0 Providing Feedback for Our Products

In case of encountering a bug please report it through your support contact.

7.0 Legal Notices

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