Motorola and Lynx Showcase Fault-Tolerant Real-time Application Platform

Motorola's fault-tolerant system and LynxOS offer a VME-based system environment for real time

SANTA CLARA, Calif.—January 21, 1998—Real-time Computer Show and Conference-Motorola Computer Group (MCG) and Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc. will demonstrate a fault-tolerant real-time environment based on Motorola's FX Series fault tolerant platform, MVME2600 Series VME processor modules, and LynxOS®. This demonstration shows a fault tolerant environment which enables OEMs to develop applications for telecommunications, transportation, and power plant control which meet and exceed 99.999% availability. With these capabilities, OEMs can focus their engineering resources on adding true value while relying on Motorola and Lynx to provide the fault tolerant system and software platforms. All FX Series system components including the VME real-time controllers can be "hot swapped".

"The synergy of the FX Series and LynxOS to deliver off-the-shelf hardware and software platforms for fault tolerant real-time applications is a real breakthrough for OEM customers who need to get to market fast in the face of very limited resources," said Bill Donlan, Vice President and Director, Systems Marketing at MCG. "Now our customers can leverage the power of LynxOS in a true fault tolerant, real-time environment at a very attractive price point", he added.

"Business-critical applications in telecommunications and transportation as well as many other markets are demanding cost effective, real-time fault tolerant solutions. Our relationship with Motorola will result in some very exciting products to help meet these needs", add Dino Brusco, Vice President, Marketing at Lynx Real-Time Systems. LynxOS offers a variety of performance and reliability features including:

• Stable, proven real-time technology.
• Patented interrupt and ROMing technologies-Interrupt handling is the technology that gives LynxOS its industry leading performance. ROMing allows users to take a runtime kernel and easily put it onto read-only memory.
• On-chip memory management-Guarantees that processes, should they become corrupted, won't harm other processes, threads or the operational performance of the system.
• Support for multiprocessing and multi-threaded applications-At both the user and kernel level, LynxOS offers users a more flexible process model.
• True real-time UNIX and POSIX compliance-LynxOS is the only real-time operating system that provides standards support for real-time applications.
• Scalability-LynxOS is a modular operating system which can be scaled down to a very small kernel (30Kbytes of code) for very high volume applications and scaled up to a full featured, UNIX/POSIX compatible operating system for very sophisticated software applications.

LynxOS users can choose cross development of MVME2600 real-time applications from the host FX Series system or a Lynx-based PowerPC system. Because the LynxOS development environment runs on both the Motorola FX Series system as well as the MVME2600 boards, developers have a built-in advantage in the final stages of application development and integration where debugging on the fault tolerant real-time system can result in improved productivity and test effectiveness. Individual copies of LynxOS 2.5.1 as part of the Open Development Environment are available now through Lynx' international network of direct sales outlets and distributors.

Motorola's FX Series is a fault tolerant platform featuring "hot swap" of all system components including real-time VME board modules; system, telco, and component alarms; plus a simple operator interface. The real-time VME boards are integrated into the FX Series using a VME bridge module. The VME bridge module protects the VME boards from ESD damage during live removal and replacement of modules and displays a standard set of "In Service" and "Out of Service" LEDs to simplify the operator interface. Available real-time controller slots range from six on the Model 610 to 22 on the Model 626 allowing support for a wide variety of applications. A MVME2600 VME board may be configured in each of the controller slots. The FX Series has been tested and conforms to NEBS requirements for Zone 4 Earthquake, Office Vibration, and Fire Hazards.

About Lynx Real-Time Systems

Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc. is a worldwide supplier of real-time operating systems and development tools. Its products shorten product development cycles and lower costs for software engineers who design embedded applications. By committing to POSIX, UNIX and other industry standards, the company enables customers to leverage their investments in software development and education. Founded in 1988 as a privately held company, Lynx has offices in the U.S., Europe and Japan, and worldwide headquarters in San José, Calif.

About Motorola

The Motorola Computer Group is a leading worldwide supplier of computer board products and computer systems platform products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in technical and embedded markets. Information about MCG's products is available on the World Wide Web at www.mot.com/computer.

Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications, semiconductors, and advanced electronic systems, components, and data communications, personal communications, automotive, defense and space services. Major equipment businesses include cellular telephone, two-way radio, paging electronics and computers. Motorola semiconductors power communication devices, computers and many other products. Motorola's 1997 sales were $29.8 billion.

LynuxWorks press contacts

Kirsten Long Director, Marketing Communications LynuxWorks, Inc. USA +1 408-979-4404	Barbara Stewart Patterson & Associates USA 480-488-6909
Hamid Mirab Managing Director EMEA LynuxWorks Ltd. United Kingdom +44 208-906-9506	Peter van der Sluijs Neesham Public Relations Europe +44 1442-879222