User`s guide

ManualsBrandsRed Hat ManualsConsumer electronicsENTERPRISE 5.4 RELEASE NOTES

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Introduction

RedHawk Linux Version 5.4 Release Notes 1

1.0. Introduction

This document provides release information and installation instructions for Concurrent Computer

Corporation’s RedHawk

Linux

operating system Version 5.4

1.1 Product Description

RedHawk Linux is a real-time version of the open source Linux operating system.

Modifications are made to standard Linux version 2.6 to support the functionality and the

performance required by complex real-time applications. RedHawk uses a single kernel design

to support a single programming environment that directly controls all system operation. This

design allows deterministic program execution and response to interrupts while simultaneously

providing high I/O throughput and deterministic file, networking, and graphics I/O operations.

RedHawk is the ideal Linux environment for the deterministic applications found in simulation,

data acquisition, industrial control and medical imaging systems.

Included with RedHawk is the popular Red Hat® Enterprise Linux 5 distribution. The

RedHawk installation media provide additional real-time kernels and libraries for accessing

RedHawk specific kernel features. Optionally, the NightStar™ RT development tool set is

available for developing real-time applications, and the Frequency-Based Scheduler and

Performance Monitor can be used for monitoring performance.

The RedHawk kernel integrates both open source patches and Concurrent developed features

derived from the real-time UNIX® implementations that Concurrent has supported in its over

42 years experience developing real-time operating systems.

RedHawk is included with each Concurrent iHawk™ system. iHawks are symmetric multi-

processor (SMP) systems available in a variety of architectures and configurations. Either 32-bit

or 64-bit versions of RedHawk and its supporting software products are installed, depending

upon the iHawk architecture type and the support included in RedHawk for that architecture.

Support for SMPs is highly optimized. A unique concept known as shielded CPUs allows a

subset of processors to be dedicated to tasks that require the most deterministic performance.

Individual CPUs can be shielded from interrupt processing, kernel daemons, interrupt bottom

halves, and other Linux tasks. Processor shielding provides a highly deterministic execution

environment that guarantees processes fast and dependable response to external events.

RedHawk Linux exceeds the level of POSIX® conformance of other Linux distributions based

on the 2.6 series of kernels. Concurrent has added additional POSIX compliance by adding

some of the POSIX real-time extensions that are not present in standard Linux. Linux on the

Intel® x86 architecture has defined a defacto binary standard of its own which allows shrink-

wrapped applications that are designed to run on the Linux/Intel x86 platform to run on

Concurrent’s iHawk platform.

NightStar RT is Concurrent’s powerful real-time tool set that provides a robust graphic interface

for non-intrusive control, monitoring, analysis, and debugging of real-time multiprocessing

applications. All tools can be run natively on the same system as the application or remotely.

The NightStar RT tools include the following:

• NightView™ source-level debugger – allows multi-language, multi-processor, multi-

program and multi-thread monitoring and debugging from a single graphical interface.

• NightTrace™ run-time analyzer – analyzes the dynamic behavior of a running application.

• NightSim™ periodic scheduler – allows the user to easily schedule applications that

require periodic execution.