Jaluna has closed a $12M round of Series A funding, and will use the money in a worldwide marketing and sales effort behind its “platform virtualization” technology, which enables embedded Linux to run alongside other operating environments on single-processor systems. Jaluna's technology targets customer premises equipment (CPEs) such as IP-STBs (Internet protocol set-top boxes).

Jaluna says its logical partitioning and virtualization technology lets device designers mix and match operating systems without introducing additional boards or dedicated processors. This reduces complexity and shortens the bill of materials, Jaluna says.

For example, Jaluna announced yesterday that its OSware platform virtualization technology enables IP-STB makers to use single-core DSPs such as the Texas Instruments DM64x in inexpensive devices that, despite lacking a dedicated applications processor, can run Linux applications and drivers. Jaluna first launched its OSware technology in May.

OSware is based on a nanokernel that allocates system resources to multiple operating environments, without affecting their real-time behavior, according to Jaluna. The technology also includes a virtual bus enabling applications running in either environment to communicate.

Other dual-kernel, real-time technologies that use small kernels to add real-time capabilities to Linux include RTLinux, RTAI, and ADEOS. All three enable Linux to cohabitate with a real-time application environment on single-processor systems. RTAI adopted the ADEOS nanokernel in December of last year, in an effort to steer clear of an FSMLabs patent related to interrupt controller emulation in RTLinux.

Jaluna's funding round was co-led by Atlas Venture and Index Ventures, and partners at those firms have joined Jaluna's board. Cisco Systems also took part in the funding round.

Jaluna was founded in mid-2002 by former members of Chorus Systems, a company acquired by Sun in 1997 for its ChorusOS real-time embedded operating system for telecom. Jaluna launched a real-time Linux OS distribution targeting telecom in February of 2003, adding a VxWorks compatibility layer shortly thereafter.

“Jaluna has assembled an unparalleled engineering and management team. The company has already demonstrated platform virtualization solutions that are attracting strong customer interest for network infrastructure products, wireless devices, IP-set-top boxes, and other customer premises equipment,” said Alexander Bruehl, senior partner of Atlas Venture.

Giuseppe Zocco, general partner at Index Ventures, said, “Supporting multiple operating environments on the same hardware platform will allow OEMs to introduce new products faster, more cost effectively, and with increased security.”

Jaluna CEO Michel Gien added, “The company has had great success with several early adopters, and is now gearing up to service and support the industry in its migration to Linux. The Series A investment will enable us to develop our marketing and sales capabilities worldwide.”

 
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