MontaVista Software Releases New Real-Time Scheduler for Linux Kernel

MontaVista Software, Inc., a supplier of Hard Hat Linux for embedded applications, has announced the availability of a new real-time scheduler for the Linux kernel. The MontaVista real-time scheduler gives developers of embedded applications new options for meeting real-time performance requirements while preserving the standard Linux programming model and APIs. Unlike other real-time add-ons to Linux, the MontaVista real-time solution does not introduce a second kernel underneath Linux, nor does it attempt to substitute so-called 'Linux-compatible' real-time operating system (RTOS) components for Linux itself. The MontaVista scheduler is integrated into the standard Linux kernel, fully realizing the already-present 'real-time' scheduling policies, but with enforced hard prioritization. This allows applications with real-time requirements to behave more predictably and reliably while still leveraging the standard Linux APIs and memory-protected programming models. The MontaVista scheduler is available immediately in source form on the MontaVista Web and ftp sites.