CONTACT:
Ron Marcus
Marketing Director
Synergy Microsystems, Inc.
Tel: 619.452.0020 x 217
Fax: 619.452.0060
E-mail: ron@synergymicro.com
SYNERGY MICROSYSTEMS TO OFFER LINUX WITH REAL TIME
AND SMP SUPPORT ON POWERPC EMBEDDED BOARDS
AUGUST 10, 1999, SAN DIEGO, CA -- Synergy Microsystems today announced at LinuxWorld Expo in San Jose its partnership with FSMLabs, the inventors of open source RTLinux (Realtime Linux) to produce "Industrial Linux™". With the release of Industrial Linux, developers will now be able to use the Linux OS with both VME & CompactPCI boards to meet their hard real time embedded computing needs. Users will enjoy the benefits of an operating system which is not only open source but which also provides true hard real time response for critical military, industrial and commercial applications. In addition, Industrial Linux's symmetric multiprocessing capability will allow applications to fully utilize the processing power of multiprocessor boards. Synergy, a leading manufacturer of multiprocessor computers, will offer Industrial Linux on its entire line of PowerPC-based boards in the next few months. The company's Linux-compatible products are on display at LinuxWorld booth # 1225.
"Our customers have certainly taken notice of Linux." commented Tom Powell, Synergy Microsystems CEO. "We're getting an increasing amount of inquiries about the availability of PowerPC single board computers running Linux. These customers would like to leverage their familiarity and comfort with a UNIX-like operating system as well as the open source nature of Linux. Previously however, Linux could only be used for non-real time applications. With the
advent of Industrial Linux, customers who prefer Linux will be able to have their hard real time needs met by this OS. We are very proud to be the first to offer this functionality to these customers, and to contribute in a significant way to the open source Linux movement."
Victor Yodaiken, president of FSM (Finite State Machine) Labs and a long time contributor to the Linux OS movement, added, "We're pleased to be working with Synergy Microsystems, with its engineering expertise and its firm commitment to Linux. FSMLabs has already successfully demonstrated Realtime Linux on Intel-based desktop and server platforms. Bringing this functionality to the embedded PowerPC single board computer space further legitimizes the viability of open source Linux as a robust, feature-rich OS that can serve a wide variety of needs."
How Realtime Linux works
The Industrial Linux real time kernel works by treating the Linux OS kernel as a task executing under a small real time system. Industrial Linux decouples the mechanisms of the real time kernel from those of the Linux kernel so that each can be optimized independently for maximum performance. Interrupt latency is minimized, with an upper bound of under 20 µseconds. This level of determinism compares quite favorably with the response times of other real time operating systems.
Symmetric Multiprocessing
Industrial Linux's Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) allows applications to fully utilize the processing potential of a multiprocessor CPU board, such as Synergy's dual- and quad-PowerPC 750 CPU boards. SMP allows Linux to dynamically balance the processing load equally among all the processors on the board, making the most efficient use of each processor for significantly improved performance.
About Synergy Microsystems
Synergy Microsystems, Inc. specializes in designing and manufacturing multiprocessor single board computers for VME and CompactPCI systems to meet the needs of demanding, hard real-time applications. The company also supports a wide variety of I/O options with its line of PMC daughtercards and daughtercards from other manufacturers. Synergy has a long track record of extracting the highest possible performance from current and emerging computer and OS technology, as well as providing innovative solutions to unique applications. In business since 1985, the corporation is privately held, with headquarters in San Diego and R&D facilities in both San Diego and Tucson. Check our website at http://www.synergymicro.com.
About Finite State Machine (FSM) Labs
FSMLabs, Inc. was started by the developers of Realtime Linux (RTLinux) and one of the main developers of PowerPC Linux to provide core operating systems commercial support for vendors of products based on Linux. The company is focused on real time and embedded systems used in industry and research. FSMLabs provides core kernel expertise and development, and consults on general systems issues. Projects include consulting on strategy for Fortune 500 corporations and writing customized operating systems for new applications, specialized boards, processors, and systems. Vendors of RTLinux, Linux, or products that rely on RTLinux or Linux can also contract with FSMLabs to provide specialized technical backup for customer support. FSMLabs, Inc. has headquarters in Socorro, New Mexico.
PowerPC and PowerPC 750 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Industrial Linux is a trademark of Synergy Microsystems, Inc. RTLinux is a trademark of FSMLabs, Inc. CompactPCI is a registered trademark of PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group. All other trademarks, registered trademarks, and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
