"Intel Software Defined Silicon" Coming To Linux For Activating Extra Licensed Hardware Features

guest · Sep 28, 2021

"Intel Software Defined Silicon" Coming To Linux For Activating Extra Licensed Hardware Features
September 27, 2021
https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Intel-Software-Defined-Silicon

There has been talk of Intel moving to offer more license-able/opt-in features for hardware capabilities found within a given processor as an upgrade. We are now seeing the Linux signs of that support coming with a driver for "Intel Software Defined Silicon" to allow for the secure activation of such features baked into the processor's silicon but only available as an up-charge option.

Without purchasing new processors, Intel Software Defined Silicon will allow for activating additional hardware capabilities if purchasing a license/upgrade. The exact details don't appear to be public yet for what "upgrades" they will offer, but Intel is currently preparing the Linux kernel driver support.

Initially this Software Defined Silicon support appears to be focused on Xeon processors as opposed to license/upgrade features for Intel Core desktop/mobile processors.
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The Intel Software Defined Silicon (SDSi) driver is for supporting the "post-manufacturing mechanism for activating additional silicon features."

This Software Defined Silicon driver is just about the authentication and dealing with the SDSi handling but doesn't expose what Intel may pursue in regards to license/paid upgrade features moving forward. There is the patch for this kernel driver currently undergoing review. Additionally is this GitHub repository now public that just outlines the operating system interface for SDSi.
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Intel currently doesn't have an open-source user-space client or we'll see if that ends up being a proprietary software package if it will allow built-in purchasing support, etc.
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guest · Nov 21, 2021

Intel Posts Updated "Software Defined Silicon" Driver To Activate Licensed Hardware Features
November 21, 2021
https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Software-Defined-Silicon-Intel

Back in September we were first to report on Intel developing "Software Defined Silicon" support for being able to activate extra licensed hardware features not otherwise exposed. Intel hasn't talked about the controversial feature in terms of product plans but this weekend they posted a new revision of this Intel "SDSi" Linux driver.

Intel Software Defined Silicon "SDSi" is about being able to securely activate additional features of the processor's silicon that won't otherwise by exposed out-of-the-box. This is likely with Intel Xeon processors in mind where Intel could offer additional features as an up-charge for those wanting to opt-in to extra features like say theoretically AVX-512 or AMX but without that license the feature wouldn't be exposed even with being baked into the processor.
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A decade ago Intel tried a similar concept with the "Intel Upgrade Service" that if paying for an activation code could allow additional cache to be exposed, higher clock frequencies, and/or Hyper Threading for select processors.

The SDSi Linux code is the generic infrastructure around it and doesn't expose what sort of hardware features Intel may be toying with as possible licensed upgrade features for future processors. Sent out on Saturday were these four patches making more changes around the Intel platform code (Platform Monitoring Technology) and ultimately introducing that Intel SDSi driver. As part of the series is the introduction of the Intel Vendor Specific Extended Capabilities (VSEC/DVSEC) driver code as well.
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"Intel Software Defined Silicon" Coming To Linux For Activating Extra Licensed Hardware Features

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