San Francisco; LinuxWorld — (press release excerpt) — MontaVista Software Inc. today announced the introduction of the High Availability Framework for Hard Hat Linux 2.0. The MontaVista High Availability Framework (HA Framework) is ideal for data communications applications with heavy I/O loads such as central office switching equipment, Service Provider systems, and other communications infrastructure… applications. It provides a standards-based, open architecture software platform for building fault-resilient systems based on industry-standard CompactPCI and customer-specific hardware.

The HA Framework, an add-on product to MontaVista's Hard Hat Linux Professional Edition, provides the core for an open architecture High Availability solution based on PICMG (PCI Industrial Computers Manufacturing Group) standards. MontaVista's High Availability Framework is based completely on the latest Linux kernel 2.4 and supports PICMIG 2.12 hot swap capabilities (hot replace and hot insert), redundant Ethernet and back plane messaging, as well as resource and event management.

Once required only for the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or other business or life-critical or applications, High Availability is now central to any application that cannot tolerate unplanned downtime. This space can include key Internet infrastructure applications, where downtime results in significant lost revenues, a dramatic decrease in customer satisfaction and major support problems.

The MontaVista HA Framework initially supports multiple leading CompactPCI chasses, System Slot CPUs and Intelligent I/O boards, including popular Intel x86/IA-32 processor boards from Motorola and RadiSys, and popular PowerPC processor boards from Motorola and other vendors.

MontaVista is demonstrating key elements of the new HA Framework for Hard Hat Linux this week at LinuxWorld in San Francisco.

The HA add-on to Hard Hat Linux will be commercially available to MontaVista customers under product subscription beginning October 1, 2001.

Background

High Availability (HA) is a term for technology that enhances the “up-time” of computer systems by distributing functionality across multiple CPUs. CompactPCI systems are designed for HA systems by reducing single points of failure in a single chassis. In
response to hardware and software failures, CompactPCI HA systems facilitate the rapid transfer of control (fail-over) from a faulty CPU, peripheral, or software component to a functional one, while preserving operations or transactions in-progress at the time of
failure. Many embedded designers choose the standard CompactPCI board and system form factor for HA designs since it supports replacement and insertion of system and peripheral cards without the need for cycling power, reducing technician-assisted time-to-repair.

 
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