Concurrent has started shipping a new version of its “real-time” Linux operating system for asymmetrical multi-processing x86 applications. RedHawk Linux 4.2 is based on a 2.6.18.8 kernel, and adds support for four-way Intel and AMD chips, with scalability to 32-CPU systems expected once AMD's four-way Opteron ships.

Concurrent is a systems integrator and hardware vendor serving the government and defense industries. Its RedHawk Linux distribution is primarily distributed pre-installed on hardware systems targeting simulation and training, data acquisition, and process control and automation.

Concurrent last revised RedHawk about a year ago, with a version 4.1 release that added support for dual-core Intel and AMD processors. Prior to that, its shielded processor technique of guaranteeing real-time performance required multi-processor motherboards.

The new RedHawk 4.2 release adds support for Intel quad-core PCs — presumably including the 2.0GHz Xeon E5335 and 2.33GHz Xeon E5345 CPUs recently added to Intel's long lifecycle embedded assurance program. Additionally, the release is expected to support quad-core AMD Opteron processors, once they finally ship. Running on AMD, a single instance of RedHawk will scale across single system chassis with up to 32 CPU cores, Concurrent said.

Additional new features for the 4.2 release include support for Infiniband, an optional “global file system,” and high-availability NFS (HA-NFS), along with updated third party drivers from nVidia and others.

According to Bruce Crutcher, Concurrent's senior product manager of Linux systems, “Support for Infiniband, HA-NFS, and 32-bit RedHawk on 64-bit AMD Opteron processors are all direct results of customer requests.”

Concurrent will demonstrate RedHawk 4.2 at the ITEC defense training, education, and simulation conference next week in Cologne, Germany.

 
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