Overview

SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time from Novell is an industry standard, real-time version of the open source Linux operating system for Intel/AMD-based multiprocessors. Built on the latest SUSE Linux Enterprise platform, it provides the guaranteed performance needed in time-critical and hard real-time environments. SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time is an ideal Linux solution for a broad range of deterministic applications such as financial trading, telecommunications, modeling, simulation, data acquisition, industrial control and medical imaging systems. Properly configured, the operating system guarantees that a user-level application can respond to an external event in less than 30 microseconds.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time achieves its superior real-time performance through key kernel enhancements developed by Concurrent and Novell. The OS includes all the standard features of SUSE Linux including its user-level commands, utilities and system administration. SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time user libraries provide access to its value-add features that are not part of other Linux offerings. The operating system is fully compatible with standard Linux user-level APIs, thus Linux applications written for other Linux distributions will run without modification.

Features

• Real-time Linux® operating system for Intel® and AMD based multiprocessors

• Real-Time Deterministic Performance
  - Guaranteed interrupt response time
  - Preemptive, multithreaded, reentrant kernel
  - Low latency enhancements
  - Symmetric multiprocessing (SMP)
  - User-level preemption control
  - Post/Wait services
  - Minimal dispatch latencies
  - CPU shielding
  - Dynamic and static load balancing
  

• Industry Standards
  - Linux Standard Base (LSB)
  - POSIX 1003.1
  - Semaphores and signals
  - Shared memory
  - Message queues
  - Memory locking
  - Asynchronous and synchronous I/O
  - Execution scheduling
  - High-resolution clocks and timers

• Optional NightStar real-time development and analysis tools
  - Source level debugger
  - Event analyzer
  - Data monitor
  - System and application tuner

Benefits

Complete Development Environment

SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time offers a full set of tools for efficient development of time-critical applications. In addition to the standard GNU C, C++, and Fortran compilers, the OS also supports Concurrent's powerful NightStar™ application development tool set that includes a source-level debugger, run-time analyzer, periodic scheduler, data monitor and performance tuner. NightStar provides a robust graphic interface for non-intrusive control, monitoring, analysis, and debugging of multi-threaded and/or multiprocessor applications.

Scalable SMP and Processor Shielding

IIn tightly-coupled symmetric multiprocessing systems, SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time allows individual CPUs and cores to be shielded from interrupt processing, local timers, daemons, bottom halves, and other Linux tasks. Processor shielding provides a highly deterministic execution environment where interrupt response and the time it takes to execute a transaction can be guaranteed.

Multithreading and Preemption

The SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time kernel allows multiple processes to execute in the kernel simultaneously. The kernel protects key data structures and critical sections of code with semaphores and spin locks to preserve system integrity.

Processes executing in the kernel can also be preempted, i.e. forced to relinquish a CPU or core involuntarily. The kernel can transfer control from a lower priority process to a higher priority process except when the lower priority process is executing in a critical kernel section. To provide deterministic response, many critical sections of the kernel have been tuned and optimized to dramatically shorten non-preemptable conditions. These changes are key to allowing a high-priority process to respond immediately to an external event, even when the CPU core is currently in use.

NightStar™ Development Tools

SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time supports Concurrent's powerful set of NightStar graphical development tools. Users can schedule, monitor, debug, and analyze their time-critical applications locally on their systems or remotely. Each tool runs on the target system non-intrusively, thus preserving the determinism of the application and allowing the debugging of time-sensitive problems. NightStar tools enable application designers to reduce software development time and maximize productivity when developing Linux solutions.

	NightView Source-level Debugger NightView allows users to simultaneously debug multiple threads in one or more processes. NightView provides the ability to change program executables and modify or display data without stopping or interrupting the program. Breakpoints, watchpoints and data monitorpoints are automatically patched into the application and execute at full application speed without affecting time-critical application performance. NightView includes an interactive memory debugger that helps find and eliminate memory and heap allocation problems during the debug process.
	NightTrace Event Analyzer NightTrace is a graphical tool for analyzing the dynamic behavior of applications. NightTrace can log events from multiple processes executing simultaneously on multiple CPUs. NightTrace combines user defined application events with kernel events to present a synchronized view of an entire system. Traceable events include individual system calls, context switches, machine exceptions, page faults, and interrupts. NightTrace allows users to zoom, search, filter, summarize, and analyze events in a wide variety of ways.
	NightProbe Data Monitor NightProbe is a tool for monitoring, altering, and recording data values within multiple executing programs or threads. NightProbe shares the virtual memory of the monitored program so that there is no impact on execution speed. NightProbe can be used in a development environment as a tool for debugging, analysis, prototyping, and fault injection, or in a production environment to create a GUI control panel for program input and output.
	NightTune System and Application Tuner NightTune provides a graphical interface to system facilities for monitoring and tuning application and system performance. Users can monitor the priority, scheduling policy, CPU assignment and CPU usage of user applications. NightTune also monitors system CPU usage, context switches, interrupts, memory paging and network activity.

Professional Services

Concurrent's Special Systems Group is available to design and deliver a wide range of custom software for the SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time environment. Concurrent engineers can develop drivers for I/O boards of your choice, rehost legacy application software, develop new applications, and provide performance analysis and system tuning. Concurrent can assist customers in addressing solution complexities that result from rapid changes in technology. Our technical expertise ensures timely delivery of state-of-the-market custom products designed to meet critical end-user needs.