Hardware partitioning – Partition where you can, virtualize where you have to
Virtualization enables intelligent and complete utilization of the computing power of modern microprocessors. Additional microcontroller-based hardware is gratuitous. Virtualization is also perfectly suited when different operating systems are to be used in parallel. Real-time performance requirements often hindered the use of this technology for real-time and embedded applications, though. The RTS Hypervisor enables a combination of Real-Time and General- Purpose Operating Systems (RTOS/GPOS), as well as multiple instances of the same or different OSs on one single multi-core hardware platform – highly secure and without any added latencies.
Hard real-time with direct hardware access
When it comes to virtualization, hardware is often at least partially emulated or managed exclusively by a single host operating system. Also, processing time is rotated among the individual OSs. Both time-slicing and hardware emulation hinder the real-time performance just as much as trapping and redirecting the instructions of the processor. An RTOS requires direct hardware access. Interrupts have to be processed without delays.
The RTS Hypervisor assures hard, uncompromised, real-time performance. Unlike conventional virtualization solutions, it allows multiple OSs to run at full speed in parallel and does not interfere with time-sensitive functions. An intervening software layer for service provision to the Hypervisor or installed OSs, which prohibits native real-time processing, is not necessary.
Interrupts are routed directly to the specific OS, ›hard-wired‹ and without adding latencies to their processing. Thanks to individual interrupt assignment, special or modified device drivers can be avoided as well.
