Intel has made a significant move in the world of technology with the release of the first Linux patch for Clearwater Forest, its second-generation E-core Xeon processor. The patch, which was sent out by Intel Linux engineers, marks the beginning of the company’s preparations for the launch of Clearwater Forest in 2025.

Sierra Forest, Intel’s first all-E-core Xeon processor with up to 288 cores per socket, is set to launch around the middle of this year. However, the open-source Intel Linux engineers have wasted no time in targeting its successor, Clearwater Forest, by initiating driver support preparations and hardware enablement well in advance of its launch.

The first Linux kernel patch for Clearwater Forest, which was sent out recently, is a basic addition that includes the new model number for Clearwater Forest CPUs. The patch confirms that the 0xDD Clearwater Forest CPUs are using Atom Darkmont cores. This patch has been added to x86/urgent and is expected to be sent in soon for the Linux 6.8 merge window. It is anticipated that more Intel Clearwater Forest Linux patches will follow soon, paving the way for new feature code to be merged for Linux 6.9+.

Intel’s proactive approach to enabling Clearwater Forest in the Linux kernel and related open-source projects like Clang and GCC demonstrates the company’s commitment to staying ahead in the technology landscape. With the groundwork for Sierra Forest largely wrapping up, the focus is now shifting to the upcoming Clearwater Forest, promising a new era of innovation and performance in the world of processors.