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Intel Linux Graphics Driver Adding Device Local Memory - Possible Start of dGPU Bring-Up
A big patch series was sent out today amounting to 42 patches and over four thousand lines of code for introducing the concept of memory regions to the Intel Linux graphics driver. The memory regions support is preparing for device local memory with future Intel graphics products.
The concept of memory regions is being added to the Intel "i915" Linux kernel DRM driver for "preparation for upcoming devices with device local memory." The concept is about having different "regions" of memory for system memory as for any device local memory (LMEM). Today's published code also introduces a simple allocator and allowing the existing GEM memory management code to be able to allocate memory to these different memory regions. Up to now with Intel integrated graphics, they haven't had to worry about this functionality not even with their eDRAM/L4 cache of select graphics processors.
This device-local memory for future Intel GPUs is almost surely for Intel's discrete graphics cards with dedicated vRAM expected to debut in 2020. For the past several generations of Iris Pro with eDRAM, the Intel Linux driver has already supported that functionality. The patch message itself makes it clear that this is for "upcoming devices" but without enabling any hardware support at this time. This memory region code doesn't touch any of the existing hardware support such as the already mainlined Icelake "Gen 11" graphics code.
Previously: Intel Planning a Return to the Discrete GPU Market, Nvidia CEO Responds
Intel Discrete GPU Planned to be Released in 2020
Intel Announces "Sunny Cove", Gen11 Graphics, Discrete Graphics Brand Name, 3D Packaging, and More
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 17 2019, @10:58PM (4 children)
It is important to say that the patches were sent by Intel people, from their work email, and not by some enthusiasts. This is clear from the diffs.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 17 2019, @11:00PM (3 children)
Why is this important?
(Score: 2) by tibman on Monday February 18 2019, @12:35AM (2 children)
Official Intel patches vs non-official. Seems important to me.
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(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 18 2019, @12:41AM (1 child)
Why?
(Score: 2) by tibman on Saturday February 23 2019, @01:38AM
What a waste of a comment. A company officially supporting its products on linux is objectively better than not supporting its products.
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(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Sunday February 17 2019, @11:35PM
Here, I think it means Direct Rendering Manager right? I don't know what that means, either, though :-)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 18 2019, @01:02AM
The existing solutions are enterprise grade and with prices over six thousands, pretty far away from the realm where one just want to have a little fun with a couple of virtual instances.