Scheduler Microconference Accepted into 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference

May 20, 2021 – 1:23 am

We are pleased to announce that the Scheduler Microconference has been accepted into the 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference! The scheduler is an important functionality of the Linux kernel, deciding what process gets to run when, where and for how long. With different topologies and workloads, it is no easy task to give the user the best experience possible. Schedulers are one of the most discussed topics on the Linux Kernel Mailing List, but many of these topics need further discussion in a conference format. Indeed, the scheduler microconference is responsible for many topics to make progress.

At last year’s meet up, the Scheduler microconference achieved the following results:

Not only were enhancements made, but the meetup also helped prove that some topics were not feasible and we do not need to spend more time on them.

This year’s topics to be discussed include:

Come and join us in the discussion of controlling what tasks get to run on your machine and when. We hope to see you there!

By Steven Rostedt | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Scheduler Microconference Accepted into 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference

Confidential Computing Microconference Accepted into 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference

May 14, 2021 – 1:09 am

We are pleased to announce that the Confidential Computing Microconference has been accepted into the 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference! In this microconference we will discuss how Linux can support encryption technologies which protect data during processing on the CPU. Examples are AMD SEV, Intel TDX, IBM Secure Execution for s390x and ARM Secure Virtualization. These are recent additions compared to technologies which protect data while in transit (SSL, VPNs) and at rest (disk encryption).

The Linux kernel recently gained support for SEV-ES and support for Intel TDX is upcoming. AMD SEV will be further enhanced by Secure Nested Paging (SNP). Support for these technologies requires intrusive changes to the Linux kernel for memory integrity and secure interrupt delivery to virtual machines. Designing these changes in a way that works for different confidential computing technologies is one goal of this microconference.

Topics to be included, but not limited to, are:

Please come and join us in the discussion for solutions to the open problems for supporting these technologies.

We hope to see you there!

By Steven Rostedt | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Confidential Computing Microconference Accepted into 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference

Dates for Virtual Linux Plumbers now 20-24 September

May 4, 2021 – 2:37 pm

We took a look at all the events that were announced at the same time as OSS, including KVM Forum. The dates 20-24 September still seem to be clear of conference overlaps so we thought we’d grab them for Plumbers before someone else does. We also thought the timezone last year (Atlantic, 1h ahead of US Eastern and 5h behind central European) worked well, so we’ll plan to hold the conference mostly in that timezone (Although Microconference sessions can vary this if participants need. Our conference architecture will be available 24h)

By James Bottomley | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Dates for Virtual Linux Plumbers now 20-24 September

Containers and Checkpoint/Restore Microconference Accepted into 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference

May 3, 2021 – 5:35 pm

We are pleased to announce that the Containers and Checkpoint/Restore Microconference has been accepted into the 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference! The Containers and Checkpoint/Restore micro-conference brings together kernel developers, runtime maintainers, and developers working on container- and sandboxing related technologies in general to discuss current problems and agree on new features.

Last year’s meetup resulted in:

This year’s edition of the Containers and Checkpoint/Restore micro-conference will focus on a variety of topics that are in need of discussion. The list of ideas is constantly evolving and we expect even more topics to pop up during the coming months as past experience has shown. Here is an excerpt:

  • How to best use CAP_CHECKPOINT_RESTORE in CRIU to make it possible to run checkpoint/restore as non-root (with CAP_CHECKPOINT_RESTORE)
  • Extending the idmapped mount feature to unprivileged containers, i.e. agreeing on a sane and safe delegation mechanism with clean semantics.
  • Porting more filesystems to support idmapped mounts.
  • Making it possible for unprivileged containers and unprivileged users in general to install fanotify subtree watches.
  • Discussing and agreeing on a concept of delegated mounts, i.e. the ability for a privileged process to create a mount context that can be handed of to a lesser privileged process which it can interact with safely.
  • Fixing outstanding problems in the seccomp notifier to handle syscall preemption cleanly. A patchset for this is already out but we need a more thorough understanding of the problem and its proposed solution.
  • With more container engines and orchestrators supporting checkpoint/restore there has come up the idea to provide an optional interface with which applications can be notified that they are about to be checkpointed. Possible example is a JVM that could do cleanups which do not need to be part of a checkpoint.
  • Discussing an extension of the seccomp API to make it possible to  ideally attach a seccomp filter to a task, i.e. the inverse of the current model instead of caller-based seccomp sandboxing enabling full supervisor-based sandboxing.
  • Integration of the new Landlock LSM into container runtimes.
  • Although checkpoint/restore can handle cgroupv1 correctly the cgroupv2 support is very limited and there is a need to figure out what is still missing to have v2 supported just as good as v1.
  • Isolated user namespaces (each with full 32bit uid/gid range) and easier way for users to create and manage them.
  • Figure out what is missing on the checkpoint/restore level and maybe the container runtime level to support optimal checkpoint/restore integration on the orchestration level. Especially the pod concept of Kubernetes introduces new challenges which have not been part of checkpoint/restore before (containers sharing namespaces for example).

Come join us and participate in the discussion with what holds “The Cloud” together.

We hope to see you there!

By Steven Rostedt | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Containers and Checkpoint/Restore Microconference Accepted into 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference

Linux Plumbers Goes Fully Virtual

April 30, 2021 – 9:26 pm

You may have noticed that the Linux Foundation has announced moving OSS+ELC from Dublin to Seattle, WA due to survey results and vaccination rates in Europe. Since we agreed to co-locate with OSS+ELC this year, we’ve been debating following suit or going virtual. Unfortunately, the safety protocols imposed by event venues in the US require masks and social distancing, making it impossible to hold the interactive part of Plumbers (the Microconferences). Since Microconferences are a differentiating feature of plumbers, we felt that rather than lose such an essential element we’d move the entire conference on-line and hope to be back in-person next year.

As with last year, we’ll be using BigBlueButton for the main video interactions, but, following the example of FOSDEM, we’ll be using Matrix for the chat portion (and following feedback, we’ll be trying to integrate the matrix chat into the BBB chat window).

OSS+ELC in Seattle is now across our original dates, so we’ll try to find new ones to not clash with existing events, stay tuned for an update.

By James Bottomley | Posted in Announcements | Comments Off on Linux Plumbers Goes Fully Virtual

CFP Open – Microconferences

March 18, 2021 – 9:07 pm

We are pleased to announce the Call for Microconferences for the 2021 edition Linux Plumbers Conference, which we plan to hold in Dublin,
Ireland the last week of September in conjunction with The Linux Foundation Open Source Summit. If an in-person conference should prove to be impossible due to the circumstances at that time, Linux Plumbers will switch to a virtual only conference. Microconference runners should ideally be able to attend in person if circumstances permit, although arrangements may be possible to do so remotely. Please see our website or social media for regular updates.

A microconference is a collection of collaborative sessions focused on problems in a particular area of Linux plumbing, which includes the kernel, libraries, utilities, services, UI, and so forth, but can also focus on cross-cutting concerns such as security, scaling, energy efficiency, toolchains, container runtimes, or a particular use case. Good microconferences result in solutions to these problems and concerns, while the best microconferences result in patches that implement those solutions.

For more information on submitting a microconference proposal, visit our
CfP page.

The microconference submission process differs from that for presentations in the submissions may be (and, indeed, are expected to be) updated over time. The initial submission should include the topic of the microconference, a list of problems that are expected to be discussed, and a list of key developers that can make decisions for solutions to those problems. The Linux Plumbers program committee will work with the authors of the microconference submissions to help clarify the objectives of the microconerence.

Microconferences that have been at a previous Linux Plumbers should also
include in the submission, a list of accomplishments that were a result of that previous meet up and the topics listed for this year’s meet up should include a new set of topics and follow up work from the previous year’s topics.

Topics of a microconference should be thought of as “problem statements” and not an “abstract” like a presentation. Topics are meant to be mostly discussion oriented or presentations to facilitate discussions, but should not be a presentation to simply demonstrate what has already been accomplished. Microconferences are to discuss problems of today and tomorrow, and not to discuss accomplishments of yesterday.

Acceptance of microconferences will be done in the order the submissions become ready for acceptance. The microconference submitters should be prepared to write a blog entry advertising their microconference.

By Steven Rostedt | Posted in Announcements | Tagged , | Comments Off on CFP Open – Microconferences

RFQ SW development – Linux Plumbers Conference 2021

March 16, 2021 – 2:26 am

Reference: LPC2021-RFQ01

The Linux Plumbers Conference committee seeks to contract one or more suppliers for the development of Open Source software improvements to BigBlueButton; Matrix; and other associated work.

Offers must be received by Thursday March 25th end of day (EOD). Offers must be submitted electronically to contact@linuxplumbersconf.org.

Details of the RFQ are available publicly online here.

The RFQ document might be updated to reflect answers to questions or provide additional information.

The Linux Plumbers Conference successfully made use of BigBlueButton in 2020 and is planning to deploy it again in 2021. One improvement the committee is seeking is the ability to integrate instant messaging more effectively in 2021. The Matrix project, and related client and server components, looks very promising. We look forward to working together with members of these communities to improve the projects through features funding.

The details are in the RFQ document. More can be provided based on the information required by the projects.

By Guy Lunardi | Posted in Announcements, RFQ-Related | Comments Off on RFQ SW development – Linux Plumbers Conference 2021

CFP Open – Refereed Presentations

March 8, 2021 – 5:52 pm

The Call for Refereed Presentation Proposals for the 2021 edition of the Linux Plumbers Conference is now open, which we plan to hold in Dublin, Ireland the last week of September in conjunction with The Linux Foundation Open Source Summit. If an in-person conference should prove to be impossible due to the circumstances at that time, Linux Plumbers will switch to a virtual only conference. Submitters should ideally be able to give their presentation in person if circumstances permit, although presenting remotely will always be possible. Please see our website or social media for regular updates.

Refereed Presentations are 45 minutes in length and should focus on a specific aspect of the “plumbing” in the Linux system. Examples of Linux plumbing include core kernel subsystems, init systems, core libraries, windowing systems, management tools, device support, media creation/playback, and so on. The best presentations are not about finished work, but rather problem statements, proposals, or proof-of-concept solutions that require face-to-face discussions and debate.

The Refereed Presentations track will be running throughout all three days of the conference. Note that given the current Linux Plumbers Refereed track may overlap with the Open Source Summit.

Linux Plumbers Conference Program Committee members will be reviewing all submitted proposals.  High-quality submissions that cannot be accepted due to the limited number of slots will be forwarded to both the Open Source Summit and to organizers of suitable  Linux Plumbers Microconferences for further consideration.

To submit a Refereed Track Presentation proposal follow the instructions here [1]

Submissions are due on or before June 12 that 11:59PM UTC.

[1] https://linuxplumbersconf.org/event/11/abstracts/

By Kate Stewart | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on CFP Open – Refereed Presentations

Welcome to the 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference

January 8, 2021 – 10:58 pm

Planning for the 2021 Linux Plumbers Conference is well underway. The hope is to be in Dublin co-located with OSS EU (although with hopefully non-overlapping dates). However, the Linux Foundation is still negotiating for a suitable venue so we can’t fully confirm the location yet.

There is an outside (and hopefully receding) chance that we may have to go back to being fully on-line this year, but if that happens, we’ll be sure to alert you through the usual channels of this blog and twitter.

By James Bottomley | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

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