Linux 5.6 it will be a major launch. Will arrive with a News list much longer than previous versions, but sometimes there are changes so important that it is worth writing an article about them, even if it is a short entry like this. As on other occasions, it has been Michael Larabel who has reported of a very interesting novelty, a new CPU cooling mechanism with the generic idle cooling controller, which will keep the processor cool.
Linux 5.6 will include a new driver that they have called "cpuidle_cooling", which is similar to the PowerClamp driver and Intel's RAPL framweorks. The difference is that what the next version of the Linux kernel will include will be something generic, allowing it to work on practically any CPU and architecture to lower the temperature of CPUs and SOCs. injecting idle cycles at runtime.
Linux 5.6 will keep our computers cooler
Another difference that puts "cpuidle_cooling" above the Intel solution is that it does not need any extra frameworks to work. Starting with Linux 5.6, you will be able to inject idle cycles when needed, which, in addition to cool down the CPU, it will also reduce any possible static energy leakage: «Triggering this idle CPU cooling controller can be done with a trigger point setting that can also be used as a fallback if the Linux CPUFreq drivers are not working optimally to control CPU core frequencies.«Michael explains.
Linux 5.6 has already started its development phase, although at this time they are still receiving requests. This afternoon, or next Sunday at the latest, Linus Torvalds will release the first Release Candidate and we will have a stable version in late March or early April. Is unlikely to be included in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Focal Fossa.
Very interesting that solution now comes when the heat increases in the earth and the applications increase the work of the CPUs, welcome this cooling driver.
greetings.