WideOpenNews: Real Time — for Real [Oncore Systems microkernel]

“OnCore Systems today announced a microkernel that turns Linux
into a true real-time operating system. Previously, real-time
requests — those instantly handled by the processor no matter what
else was queued — could only be handled on Linux through heavy
customization. But OnCore’s software runs underneath Linux, setting
memory aside to handle priority requests instantly.”

“The reason standard Linux can’t do this alone is its
level-headed scheduler. The scheduler is the part of the Linux
kernel that sends requests — such as from applications or the
operating system — to the processor. It’s fair-share, meaning all
requests get equal priority…”

“OnCore’s software runs in between the processor and the
operating system. It keeps a portion of memory aside, specifically
to run real-time requests. But Linux and its associated
applications can run as normal — OnCore’s microkernel only kicks
in on demand.”

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