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LINUX EMBEDDED SYSTEMS TRENDS. Steven C. Zupfer 07/15/02. Agenda. Major Linux trends Embedded systems market Embedded systems requirements changing Linux embedded systems Embedded Linux Consortium Embedded Linux advantages & disadvantages Embedded v. Realtime Survey Results Summary
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LINUX EMBEDDED SYSTEMS TRENDS Steven C. Zupfer 07/15/02
Agenda • Major Linux trends • Embedded systems market • Embedded systems requirements changing • Linux embedded systems • Embedded Linux Consortium • Embedded Linux advantages & disadvantages • Embedded v. Realtime • Survey Results • Summary • References
Major Linux Trends • Vendor rivalry – Oracle, IBM, SAP promoting Linux competitive position v. Microsoft • Component chaos – underlying OS less important. Linux viewed component-based • Appliance computing - Embedded arena • International computing – China & Mexico want to catch up quickly. Less knowledge base. • Collegiate computing – Linux very familiar
Embedded Systems • 80% of microprocessors go to embedded computing applications (v. desktop appls) • Examples: telecom, industrial control, consumer electronics, retail POS autom, military sys, avionics, medical equip • 50% of embedded device mfr develop & maintain their own in-house developed proprietary OS • Finely tuned functionality, Low resource use • Not flexible, Not powerful for complex appls of network connections, incompatible with Internet Protocol (IP), Costly
Embedded Sys Requirements Changing • Embedded devices are everywhere • All Embedded – 1999 $.9B to 2003 $1.6B • Networking technologies to communicate over the Internet • Device application complexity growing • Cost reduction – every penny counts in competitive markets • Time-to-market critical to beat competition • Open source code wanted – understand, tweak
Linux Embedded Systems • Linux embedded sys near zero in ’98, ’99 • 12% Linux embedded sys in ’00 for 4th place in non-in-house dev. embedded OS • 38% - 45% of embedded sys developers consider for new projects – 2nd only to mkt leader, Wind River’s VxWorks • Embedded Linux Consortium formed 3/02 • Main competitors: In-house developed OS & Windows CE
Embedded Linux Consortium • Formed in March 2002 • To promote use of Linux in embedded sys • Working on certification program – any certified application works on any certified embedded Linux distribution • Members include: Intel, Motorola, Sony, Sharp, Red Hat
Linux Embedded Systems Advantages • Superb reputation for reliability and robustness • Stable • Inexpensive • Broad range of development tools by embedded world standards • Lots of embedded sys drivers readily available • Extensive documentation
Linux Embedded Systems Advantages • Especially attractive to non-realtime dedicated OS, e.g. set-top boxes, embedded servers • Where primary issues are economics and time-to-market • Increasingly, software cost is primary embedded sys cost component • Software development is major scheduling bottleneck
Linux Embedded Systems Advantages • Open Source - any one can understand and modify it to needs • Linux modular structure (Windows is not) • Full Linux: 10MB • Trim Linux: floppy disk
Linux Embedded Systems Disadvantages • Not Realtime system, e.g. process control, mission critical applications • Linux size – but resources on embedded sys is growing as processor & memory prices fall • Not always single vendor support • Lack of Standards – So, ELC working on cert program for embedded versions of Linux
“Embedded” v. “Realtime” • Distinction is important to Linux • Realtime sys need “determinacy” – i.e. guarantee a given operation will be completed in a given time period • Embedded sys includes “soft realtime,” or “near-realtime” – where critical time period is long enough to be met • Linux designed to allow “interrupt” of processes and not for “determinacy”
“Embedded” v. “Realtime” • Linux is not a realtime sys but, can be modified to meet “soft realtime” constraints • But, groups are developing true realtime Linux versions through add-on modules
Summary • Embedded sys is a growth market • Device mfrs moving from in-house developed embedded OS to outsourced • Linux has good reputation in marketplace • Linux embedded sys trends - potential #1 outsourced embedded OS within a couple of years
References • www.infoworld.com/articles/op/xml/00/08/14/000814opvizard.xml • www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT3611822672.html • www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8151978006.html • www.linuxworld.com/linuxworld/lw-2000-05/lw-05-embedded.html • www.zdnet.com.au/printfriendly?AT=2000029592-20265353 • www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT4705998392.html • www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT2492406168.html