Microsoft Makes Improvement to Linux Kernel Module Caching in 6.13

Microsoft has contributed significant improvements to kernel modules in the upcoming Linux 6.13 release, particularly through enhancements in memory management. A notable change, implemented by Microsoft engineer Mike Rapoport, involves caching kernel module code into huge pages, which is expected to enhance performance by reducing instruction Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) pressure. This feature is currently supported for x86_64 architectures and utilizes large read-only execute (ROX) pages for executable memory allocations. The process involves creating a writable copy of the module text for modifications before transferring it to ROX memory once finalized, thus optimizing module loading times. The changes were part of a larger set of performance optimizations included in the memory management pull request led by Andrew Morton. The Linux 6.13 kernel is anticipated to be released in early 2025, promising a range of new features and improvements.

- Microsoft has improved kernel module performance in Linux 6.13 through caching enhancements.

- The changes involve using large read-only execute (ROX) pages for module text allocations.

- The new caching method aims to reduce TLB pressure and improve overall performance.

- Initial support for these features is limited to x86_64 architectures.

- The Linux 6.13 release is expected in early 2025, featuring various optimizations.