Streamlined porting of VxWorks code to LynxOS allows customers to reap the benefits of a true multi-threaded, POSIX®-compliant, real-time operating system

SAN JOSÉ, Calif., December 15, 2003—LynuxWorks™ today announced that it is offering a VxWorks Compatibility Layer package to help streamline the porting of VxWorks® code to its LynxOS® real-time operating system (RTOS). Through the use of this package, applications originally written for VxWorks' flat-memory model can now benefit from LynuxWorks' LynxOS—a true multi-threaded, POSIX-compliant, real-time operating system.

As the embedded real-time marketplace matures, developers who need deterministic performance and enhanced reliability are moving away from operating systems with proprietary interfaces such as VxWorks towards open operating systems such as LynxOS that have standards-compliant interfaces.

"In response to industry demand, LynuxWorks is pleased to offer the VxWorks Compatibility Layer package," said Bob Morris, vice president, sales and marketing for LynuxWorks. "Embedded software development teams need to be able to port existing applications to LynxOS quickly and efficiently while maintaining code and data in protected spaces. LynuxWorks' VxWorks Compatibility Layer makes this a reality."

The importance of maintaining code and data in protected spaces cannot be underestimated. Since most software invariably contains bugs, code must be contained to prevent it from crashing the entire system if it inadvertently executes bad instructions or accesses inappropriate memory. Under the flat address model used by VxWorks, multiple tasks can have re-entrance and naming conflicts because they share the same global name space.

In LynxOS, processes are always independent of each another and do not share an address space. The VxWorks Compatibility Layer maintains separate name spaces under LynxOS by allowing multiple virtual VxWorks environments to run simultaneously when required. The VxWorks porting kit also provides recommendations for identifying certain types of code that may require special attention and porting by hand due to the intrinsic implementation differences between LynxOS and VxWorks. An exhaustive list of supported VxWorks calls and limitations on their use is provided.

About LynuxWorks

LynuxWorks is a world leader in the embedded software market, providing operating systems, software development products and consulting services for the world's most successful communications, aerospace/defense, and consumer products companies. Established in 1988, the company is a technology leader in the real-time operating systems (RTOS) industry, and a founding member of the Embedded Linux Consortium (ELC). LynuxWorks' headquarters are located in San José, California.

LynuxWorks is a trademark and LynxOS and BlueCat are registered trademarks of LynuxWorks, Inc. Other brand or product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective holders. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

LynuxWorks press contacts

Kirsten Long Director, Marketing Communications LynuxWorks, Inc. USA +1 408-979-4404	Dave Reddy Weber Shandwick USA +1 650-868-4659	Peter van der Sluijs Neesham Public Relations Europe +44 1442-879222
Hamid Mirab Managing Director EMEA LynuxWorks Ltd. United Kingdom +44 208-906-9506	Elvia Soltero Weber Shandwick USA +1 408-685-0614