Linux kernel version 3.3 released

Linus Torvalds has released Linux 3.3, which should ultimately remove some of the problems that occasionally caused system interruptions when writing to slow storage devices. Dozens of new and revised drivers improve the kernel's hardware support so there is progress in the open source drivers for AMD, Intel and NVIDIA graphics. In the staging area for "immature drivers", a number of Android specific drivers have returned after previously being kicked out two years ago.

Software RAID hot replace is now supported so that no rebuild is needed after replacing a disk. RAID support has also been improved for the Btrfs filesystem. Improvements in the network subsystem means it now offers teaming support and a virtual switch that can operation on layers 2,3 or 4. Linux 3.3 also provides basic support for ACPI 5.0.

An overview of these and other innovations is provided in an article on The H Open which also includes insights into what changes are being prepared for Linux 3.4.

• What's new in Linux 3.3

For more detailed information and background on the new features that Linux 3.3 delivers, the Kernel Log series "Coming in 3.3" offers an focused view, by area, of the changes made in the new kernel.

• 1 – Networking
  
• 2 – Filesystems and storage
• 3 – Architecture and infrastructure
  
• 4 – Drivers

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