Supermicro H8DAE-2 support

[Thomas Ching]

That's very helpful, thanks.

Thomas

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Palmer [mailto:gpalmer at freebsd.org] 
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2007 2:37 PM
To: Thomas Ching
Cc: Julian Elischer; freebsd-smp at FreeBSD.org
Subject: Re: Supermicro H8DAE-2 support

On Thu, Oct 11, 2007 at 02:30:19PM -0700, Thomas Ching wrote:
> Thanks, it's very interesting regarding your mention of SMP support (again I am new to this so I don't know the history that well).
> 
> According to 4.5 release notes, it does: http://www.freebsd.org/releases/4.5R/hardware-i386.html

Although the 3.x and 4.x branches of FreeBSD support multi-CPU operation,
they only supported running multiple processes in user space at the same
time.  You could not have multiple CPUs in the kernel at the same time
due to the "Giant" lock that serialised access to the kernel.

> In either case, we do not intend to run on muti cores until we migrate to 6.2 so it's not a problem for now.
> 
> Thomas
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Julian Elischer [mailto:julian at elischer.org] 
> Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2007 2:19 PM
> To: Thomas Ching
> Cc: freebsd-smp at FreeBSD.org
> Subject: Re: Supermicro H8DAE-2 support
> 
> Thomas Ching wrote:
> > Hi, Julian:
> > 
> > Thanks for the useful info; I think I will start with Vanilla 4.5 on the board first to see if it's even possible. If no luck, I will try 4.11. 
> > 
> > Regarding the changes, I am actually new to the company and I do not know all the history and details, all I am told is "massive".
> > 
> > I think mostly are on the TCP stack. I will learn more about it in the next few weeks.
> 
> "Massive" is relative.
> 4.x doesn't support using > 1 CPU in the kernel at one time.
> So unless this is what your changes do, it means you can't use your 2nd CPU for networking..
> 
> anyhow, good luck and do come back if you have problems.
> 
> > 
> > Again appreciate your fast responses and ideas/suggestions.
> > 
> > Thomas
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Julian Elischer [mailto:julian at elischer.org] 
> > Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2007 11:48 AM
> > To: Thomas Ching
> > Cc: freebsd-smp at FreeBSD.org
> > Subject: Re: Supermicro H8DAE-2 support
> > 
> > Thomas Ching wrote:
> >> Hi, Julian:
> >>
> >> Thanks for your response. Our existing products (which heavily changed the kernel code) were developed based on the 4.5 kernel that's why we need to stick with it for a short while.
> >>
> >> Is there anything I can learn on the tricks you mentioned in your email? I am open to examine all possibilities.
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >> Thomas
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Julian Elischer [mailto:julian at elischer.org] 
> >> Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2007 10:36 AM
> >> To: Thomas Ching
> >> Cc: freebsd-smp at FreeBSD.org
> >> Subject: Re: Supermicro H8DAE-2 support
> >>
> >> Thomas Ching wrote:
> >>> Hi,
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> I am a newbie to this so I apologize if I did not follow any protocol
> >>> that I am supposed to.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> I am porting FreeBSD 4.5 to this board and I am just wondering if
> >>> anyone has any information that I can read. I am really concerned
> >>> about given how new the board is and 4.5 would probably not run on
> >>> it.
> >>>
> >> Ok so explain why it needs to be 4.5?
> >>
> >> Assuming it does, you may be able to run it straight away
> >> or at worst with just a couple of tweeks,
> >> but there are tricks you may not know about to avoid running new hardware
> >> on old systems.
> >>
> >>> It has to be 4.5 for legacy reasons.
> >> why?
> >>
> >> explain this in detail.
> > 
> > It's a pitty you have kernel changes because if you had just userland requirements,
> > I'd run a 6.2 system and make a 4.5 jail to match the apps.
> > 
> > Since you have kernel changes that won't work. however I'd still suggest 
> > moving up to at least 4.11.
> > The changes between 4.5 and 4.11 were not that great, but a lot of newer hardware
> > was supported. Your kernel changes will nearly all apply with minimal change 
> > (if any at all), but you may have a chance to get some newer hardware working easier.
> > There are also security and bug fixes.. in fact I'd go for a RELENG_4
> > system (i.e. from the 4 branch but after 4.11..  you compile it yourself).
> > 
> > what KIND of changes? (some changes can be ported forward to 5.x really easy too.
> > It depends on what kind they are and where they are.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >>>
> >>> Thanks
> >>>
> >>> Thomas
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> >>>  Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1063 - Release Date:
> >>> 10/11/2007 9:11 AM
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________ 
> >>> freebsd-smp at freebsd.org mailing list 
> >>> http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-smp To unsubscribe,
> >>> send any mail to "freebsd-smp-unsubscribe at freebsd.org"
> >>
> >> No virus found in this incoming message.
> >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
> >> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1063 - Release Date: 10/11/2007 9:11 AM
> >>  
> >>
> >> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
> >> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1063 - Release Date: 10/11/2007 9:11 AM
> >>  
> > 
> > 
> > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
> > Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1063 - Release Date: 10/11/2007 9:11 AM
> >  
> > 
> > No virus found in this outgoing message.
> > Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
> > Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1063 - Release Date: 10/11/2007 9:11 AM
> >  
> 
> 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1063 - Release Date: 10/11/2007 9:11 AM
>  
> 
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1063 - Release Date: 10/11/2007 9:11 AM
>  
> _______________________________________________
> freebsd-smp at freebsd.org mailing list
> http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-smp
> To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-smp-unsubscribe at freebsd.org"
> 
> 

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1063 - Release Date: 10/11/2007 9:11 AM
 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1063 - Release Date: 10/11/2007 9:11 AM