[crypto-discuss] Re: [intel-platform-discuss] Intel Platform optimised software crypto algorithms

[Dan Mick]

Darren J Moffat wrote:
> Bill Holler wrote:
>> I will add kernel thread SSE support as part of the Intel
>> performance project.
> 
> what does that actually mean for us in the crypto group ?  Does it mean 
> that the preemption handling we have today in that bignum code isn't 
> needed and that in the future we can have SSE code compiled the same in 
> kernel as it is in userland ?
> 

I'd bet the answer is "largely unknown" at this point, but I'd be a little 
surprised if there weren't some extra work to do in the kernel (to "claim" 
the FPU, and then "release" it, whereas that can be done automagically for 
user processes pretty easily with the help of traps).  But it's unknown 
territory; I don't know that anyone's yet thought about a design.