LINUX EMBEDDED SYSTEMS TRENDS Steven C. Zupfer 07/15/02.
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Transcript of 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