LynuxWorks Features Enhanced Linux 2.6 Kernel in BlueCat 5.0 Beta

9/9/2003 - LynuxWorksTM Inc. announced a public beta testing program for the latest version of its embedded Linux operating system (OS), BlueCat® Linux® 5.0, based on the Linux 2.6 kernel. BlueCat Linux 5.0 represents a single source of stable, commercial-grade embedded Linux technology that provides the flexibility and cost benefits of open-source software. BlueCat Linux 5.0 Beta is now available for developers who are interested in testing the Linux 2.6 kernel for a wide range of development applications from small consumer-type devices to large-scale systems.

To ensure that its embedded Linux OS meets the highest level of performance for embedded environments without compromise, LynuxWorks subjected BlueCat Linux 5.0 to the same stringent qualification procedures and performance benchmark testing that was used to qualify its LynxOS® hard real-time operating system (RTOS). LynuxWorks is the only ISO 9001:2000-registered company providing embedded Linux, and one of less than a handful in the total embedded software market. ISO 9001:2000 certification represents an industry-recognized level of quality and service that enables customers to be confident in their decision to partner with LynuxWorks.

By utilizing the same ISO 9001:2000 processes for BlueCat Linux 5.0, LynuxWorks was able complete the qualification necessary to bring the product to beta-test level ahead of the rest of the embedded industry. Over the past 15 years, LynuxWorks has developed an extensive suite of tests to qualify each new version of LynxOS prior to public release. These test suites have now been ported to BlueCat and were used to qualify the BlueCat Linux 5.0 beta release to ensure that beta customers receive well-tested software for developing their products with the Linux 2.6 kernel. Additionally, developers receive an embedded Linux OS that is unmatched in the industry—open-source, royalty-free, robust and supportable throughout the entire embedded product life cycle.

"The embedded developer community has been eagerly anticipating the availability of the Linux 2.6 kernel and we are proud to offer the first embedded operating system ready for beta testing," said Dr. Inder Singh, president and CEO of LynuxWorks. "The Linux 2.6 kernel promises to deliver powerful, enhanced functionality and features for embedded developers and we are excited to incorporate these new capabilities into our BlueCat Linux OS ahead of schedule. The enhanced features in the 2.6 kernel will provide developers greater real-time performance that was previously unattainable in earlier versions of Linux.

The following are a few of the new features of the Linux 2.6 kernel:

  • Improved Kernel Preemption—In the previous kernel version, preemption had to be actively requested by the executing code and execution could only be interrupted by explicit yields, sleeps, and interrupt requests (IRQs). Since the Linux 2.6 kernel can be preempted, new processes may be scheduled immediately after servicing a particular external interrupt. Therefore, when an event occurs that causes a higher priority task to be executable, the system will preempt the current task and run the higher priority task. As a result, latency of the kernel is greatly reduced and the resulting system response is greatly increased.
  • 0(1) Scheduler—Based on the design of the old Linux scheduler, a global run-queue would scan and hold all runnable processes and reschedules would scan the entire run-queue to determine the next set of processes to execute and run. The Linux 2.6 kernel maintains two queues per CPU for active and expired processes, sorts executable actions by priority, and allows real-time processes to share one queue. This allows for greater real-time performance with few runable processes.
  • Improved POSIX Threading Support—The Linux 2.6 Kernel provides improved threading support for the new POSIX threads library, providing further compatibility with hundreds of POSIX applications. As a result, greater source code compatibility can be achieved between BlueCat Linux and LynxOS, in addition to the ABI compatibility that already exists between the two operating systems.

Availability
BlueCat Linux 5.0 is expected to be fully available in November of this year directly through LynuxWorks.

About LynuxWorks
LynuxWorks is a world leader in the embedded software market, providing operating systems, software development products and consulting services for the world's most successful communications, aerospace/defence, and consumer products companies. Established in 1988, the company is a technology leader in the real-time operating systems (RTOS) industry, and a founding member of the Embedded Linux Consortium (ELC). LynuxWorks' headquarters are located in San José, California.

LynuxWorks is a trademark and LynxOS and BlueCat are registered trademarks of LynuxWorks, Inc. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

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