The intel-speed-select tool that lives within the Linux kernel source tree has seen a set of patches prepared for the upcoming Linux 6.6 merge window. Arguably most interesting with this updated Intel Speed Select tool is now the ability to work with more than eight CPU sockets per platform -- the new limit is 32.

Current generation Intel Xeon Scalable "Sapphire Rapids" servers max out at eight sockets while one and two socket server platforms tend to be most popular. In the past though we've seen some unique platforms like Huawei with their KunLun 9032 server that back in 2016 allowed for 32-socket Xeon E7 v3 (Haswell) configurations as well as some high socket count configurations out of Microsoft as well as the Atos BullSequana compute boxes.

But seeing the intel-speed-select CPU socket limit raised from 8 to 32 sockets in 2023 makes me wonder the motivation now for increasing the limit. Up to now the intel-speed-select tool has ignored all CPU sockets beyond the 8th socket. The patch in question was started by an HPE engineer. HPE for their part do have the Superdome Flex and Scale-up server line allowing for up to 32-sockets in 4-socket increments, so it could be for that or a future iteration of the platform. Short of tidying things up for existing platforms, some new 32-socket Intel servers could be on the way.

This patch along with a few other intel-speed-select patches were submitted for queuing ahead of the Linux 6.6 cycle kicking off in a few weeks.