FamFS Aims for 2026 Upstream Expansion
▼ Summary
– Micron is developing the FamFS file-system specifically for fabric-attached memory (FAM) needs, such as in CXL servers.
– The company aims for FamFS to be integrated upstream into the Linux kernel around “early-ish 2026.”
– FamFS has been ported to FUSE to operate largely in user-space, though some kernel modifications are still required.
– As of Linux kernel version 6.18, the FamFS patches are now fully functional with other kernel changes.
– FamFS is a special-purpose file-system focused solely on fabric-attached memory and is not intended for general-purpose use.
The FamFS file-system, a specialized project under development by Micron, is targeting an upstream integration into the Linux kernel around the beginning of 2026. This timeline represents a significant milestone for a technology designed specifically to manage fabric-attached memory (FAM), a critical component in modern data centers utilizing standards like Compute Express Link (CXL). For approximately two years, engineers have been crafting FamFS to address the unique performance and access patterns of memory that is attached across a network fabric, rather than being directly connected to a processor.
During a recent presentation at the Linux Plumbers Conference in Tokyo, John Groves of Micron, who also participates in the CXL Software & Systems working group, provided an update on the project’s progress. A notable development over the past year has been the porting of FamFS to FUSE, which allows a substantial portion of its operations to run in user-space. However, achieving full functionality still requires certain modifications within the Linux kernel itself.
The development team reports that the necessary patches are now fully operational alongside other kernel changes, as evidenced in the recent Linux 6.18 release. This progress reinforces the confidence in the proposed 2026 timeline for upstream inclusion. It is crucial to understand that FamFS is not intended as a general-purpose file-system for broad storage needs. Its architecture is purpose-built, focusing exclusively on the efficient management of fabric-attached memory to unlock the potential of emerging server architectures where memory is a pooled, shared resource. The ongoing work aims to ensure this specialized tool is robust and ready for integration when the broader ecosystem matures.
(Source: NewsAPI Tech Headlines)
