50 Arm64 Kernel Builds an Hour: Why Native Building is So Important

In this episode of Ampere Developer Impact, Greg Kroah-Hartman (Linux kernel maintainer for the stable branch) joins Ampere’s Dave Neary to reflect on 25 years of Linux kernel development—and what it means to keep the kernel reliable as Arm64 becomes mainstream. We break down how Linux’s job is to make the hardware “transparent” to the software running above it, so code can move across architectures without surprises. Greg shares how testing at scale helps him catch architecture-specific issues early: with his AmpereOne 128-core build server, he can build 30–50 kernels per hour, enabling faster iteration before changes reach the community for broader testing. We also talk about the shift from the years when the “mythical Arm64 server” didn’t really exist—while x86 dominated the data center—to today, where adoption is accelerating across hyperscalers and enterprises. With massive Arm64 growth (including 4+ billion Android devices running Linux), and with Ampere shipping Arm64 servers for enterprise use, the Arm64 server story is no longer a myth—it’s the present. Chapters: 0:00 – Introduction 4:48 - Establishing the Weekly Stable Release Process 6:40 - Improving Workflow with a Native Ampere Build Server 8:21 - Performance Metrics: MIPS per Watt & IO Optimization 12:15 - The Global Shift: Arm64 Going Mainstream 14:10 - The Importance of Working Upstream Links Ampere Computing — https://www.amperecomputing.com?utm_m... Ampere Developer Community — https://community.amperecomputing.com... The only benchmark that matters is… http://www.kroah.com/log/blog/2025/10...