The upcoming Linux 7.4 kernel is slated to integrate an AVX-512 optimized xor_gen() function. This function, which has seen patches circulating for several months, is critical for the Linux software RAID code. It is specifically used for the generation and validation of parity blocks in RAID5 and RAID6 configurations. Phoronix reports that the optimization has been "showing very nice performance gains." This enhancement is expected to benefit systems utilizing CPUs with AVX-512 capabilities, including AMD Zen 4 and newer architectures, as well as current Intel server processors. The merge is anticipated to provide a notable boost in software RAID performance for supported hardware.