Concurrent Computer Corporation expects to ship dual-Opteron systems running real-time Linux in February or early March of 2004. It has already supplied one system to an early, unnamed customer. The systems target medical imaging, video encoding/decoding, and financial industry applications. (Photo is of previous Xeon-based version.)

The new Concurrent systems will run version 2.0 of Concurrent's RedHawk real-time Linux operating system. RedHawk uses a real-time technique Concurrent calls shielded processors, in which one CPU in a multi-processor system is devoted to real-time tasks.

According to Concurrent, RedHawk 2.0 is based on the 2.6.0 Linux kernel and supports Red Hat Linux applications. RedHawk can run existing off-the-shelf 32-bit applications, or 32-bit RedHawk (real-time) applications recompiled into 64-bit mode for improved performance and extended addressing. Users may also develop their own new 64-bit applications for the platform.

Concurrent claims RedHawk 2.0 is capable of exploiting the Opteron platform's “superior floating point performance, 64-bit addressing, and improved I/O throughput.”

Concurrent has not yet completed merchandising details for the systems, according to Bruce Crutcher, product manager of Linux systems. “We've qualified RedHawk 2.0 on several candidate hardware platforms, and will finalize pricing, model names, and other merchanidizing details after we've made a selection.”

Crutcher adds that the company is working to add support for additional processors to RedHawk, which is currently limited to two Opteron processors.

Regarding whether Concurrent supports the use of its unique RedHawk real-time Linux distro on hardware other than the company's own systems, Crutcher says, “Not at this time, but we are willing to consider it.”

 
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