Yesterday the latest Linux kernel, 2.6.32, was released but before you upgrade, you should read about changes to the Completely Fair Queuing IO scheduler.
According to a story in Linux Magazine, the new CFQ IO scheduler’s default settings could cause problems if you’re running the new kernel on a server.
“In the 2.6.32 kernel there was a change to the CFQ default behavior to help improve interactiveness,” writes Linux Mag’s Jeffrey Layton, “which is typically important for desktops and laptops or anything where something like media playback is important.”
But if you’re running the new kernel on a server, it can negatively impact IO throughput.
