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| FSMLabs RTLinux Delivers AMCC PowerPC Processors FSMLabs has announced support for a range of embedded PowerPC processors from AMCC, specifically the AMCC 440EP and 440GP. Deployed in storage, networking, software-defined radio, data acquisition, and motor control, these CPUs combine high-performance, low-power processor cores with rich peripheral sets with both vertical and horizontal applications. RTLinux gives AMCC PowerPC systems targeting these and other areas an unprecedented mix of hard real-time responsiveness combined with the openness and enterprise software compatibility of Linux and BSD operating systems. Software content in intelligent devices is doubling year-over-year. In the last five years, to address the ever-increasing software load and increasing complexity of embedded applications, device developers have moved from proprietary embedded RTOS platforms like VxWorks to open enterprise-class OSes like Linux and BSD. However, even with an emphasis on application-centric software stacks, core embedded platforms still need to deliver hardware-centric near line-rate performance. FSMLabs RTLinuxPro and RTCoreBSD let developers meet requirements for low-latency hard-real-time responsiveness without sensitivity to application load for a wide range of CPU clock rates. For example, on an AMCC 440EP "Yosemite" reference platform, with a 533 Mhz system clock, RTLinux delivers worst case interrupt latency of 3.5 microseconds, and real-time context switch time of 13.5 microseconds. By comparison, native Linux and BSD limit real-time performance, with response times for comparable operations measured in terms of milliseconds, not microseconds. RTLinux and RTCore also provide an extremely robust "host" operating system for "guest" enterprise-class Linux and BSD operating systems. This host/guest architecture enables developers of intelligent devices to build high-reliability systems and to support the ever-increasing software content on those devices. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Computing News :: home page |