The advantage:

All versions of LynxOS offer complete, integrated Memory Management Unit (MMU) support and implement a virtual memory model for maximum code and data protection.

The importance of maintaining code and data in protected spaces cannot be underestimated. Since 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-entrancy 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 or is provided.