I'm struggling to understand what workloads Meta might be running that are _this_ latency-critical.
It's definitely for ads auctions
Meta is using the Linux scheduler designed for Valve's Steam Deck on its servers
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Re: Meta is using the Linux scheduler designed for Valve's Steam Deck on its servers
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
I was at Microsoft during the Windows 8 cycle. I remember hearing about a kernel feature I found interesting. Then I found linux had it for a few years at the time. I think the reality is that Linux is ahead on a lot of kernel stuff. More experimentation is happening.
And behind on a lot of stuff. The Microsoft's ACLs are nothing short of one of the best designed permission systems there are. On the surface, they are as simple as Linux UOG/rwx stuff if you want it to be, but you can really, REALLY dive into the technology and apply super specific permissions.
You have ACLs on linux too
Re: Meta is using the Linux scheduler designed for Valve's Steam Deck on its servers
#63I'm curious how this came to be:
> Meta has found that the scheduler can actually adapt and work very well on the hyperscaler's large servers.
I'm not at all in the know about this, so it would not even occur to me to test it. Is it the case that if you're optimizing Linux performance you'd just try whatever is available?
Re: Meta is using the Linux scheduler designed for Valve's Steam Deck on its servers
#64Earlier quoted context omitted.
Over time they're going to touch things that people were waiting for Microsoft to do for years. I don't have an example in mind at the moment, but it's a lot better to make the changes yourself than wait for OS or console manufacturer to take action.
I was at Microsoft during the Windows 8 cycle. I remember hearing about a kernel feature I found interesting. Then I found linux had it for a few years at the time. I think the reality is that Linux is ahead on a lot of kernel stuff. More experimentation is happening.
I was surprised to hear that Windows just added native NVMe which Linux has had for many years. I wonder if Azure has been paying the SCSI emulation tax this whole time.
Re: Meta is using the Linux scheduler designed for Valve's Steam Deck on its servers
#65I'm struggling to understand what workloads Meta might be running that are _this_ latency-critical.
If you have 50,000 servers for your service, and you can reduce that by 1 percent, you save 50 servers. Multiply that by maybe $8k per server and you have saved $400k,you just paid for your self for a year. With meta the numbers are probably a bit bigger.
Re: Meta is using the Linux scheduler designed for Valve's Steam Deck on its servers
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
This isn’t explicitly called out in any of the other comments in my opinion so I’ll state this. Valve as a company is incredibly focused internally on its business. Its business is games, game hardware, and game delivery. For anything outside of that purview instead of trying to build a huge internal team they contract out. I’m genuinely curious why other companies don’t do this style more often because it seems incr…
Whats the bad practices valve is doing in gambling?
Lootboxes comes to mind.
Re: Meta is using the Linux scheduler designed for Valve's Steam Deck on its servers
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
In this case yes, but on the other hand Red Hat won't publish the RHEL code unless you have the binaries. The GPLv2 license requires you to provide the source code only if you provide the compiled binaries. In theory Meta can apply its own proprietary patches on Linux and don't publish the source code if it runs that patched Linux on its servers only.
Can't anyone get a RHEL instance on their favorite cloud, dnf install whatever packages they want sources of, email Redhat to demand the sources, and shut down the instance?
RHEL specifically makes it really annoying to see the source. You get a web view.
Re: Meta is using the Linux scheduler designed for Valve's Steam Deck on its servers
#68Earlier quoted context omitted.
This isn’t explicitly called out in any of the other comments in my opinion so I’ll state this. Valve as a company is incredibly focused internally on its business. Its business is games, game hardware, and game delivery. For anything outside of that purview instead of trying to build a huge internal team they contract out. I’m genuinely curious why other companies don’t do this style more often because it seems incr…
Whats the bad practices valve is doing in gambling?
Their games and systems tie into huge gambling operations on 3rd party sites
If you have 30mins for a video I recommend People Make Games' documentary on it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMmNy11Mn7g
Re: Meta is using the Linux scheduler designed for Valve's Steam Deck on its servers
#69I'm struggling to understand what workloads Meta might be running that are _this_ latency-critical.
Meta is a humongous company. Any kind of latency has to have a business impact.
Re: Meta is using the Linux scheduler designed for Valve's Steam Deck on its servers
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
This isn’t explicitly called out in any of the other comments in my opinion so I’ll state this. Valve as a company is incredibly focused internally on its business. Its business is games, game hardware, and game delivery. For anything outside of that purview instead of trying to build a huge internal team they contract out. I’m genuinely curious why other companies don’t do this style more often because it seems incr…
I feel like I rarely see contacting out work go well. This seems like an exception
Nope. Plenty of top-tier contractors work quietly with their clientele and let the companies take the credit (so long as they reference the contractor to others, keeping the gravy train going.)
If you don't see it happening, the game is being played as intended.