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FSL T4240 with VxWorks 6.9 Multicore support
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Optimized for Multi-core
Realize the benefits of embedded multi-core technology with the real-time operating system (RTOS) that's fully multi-core enabled. VxWorks® features asymmetric multiprocessing (AMP), symmetric multiprocessing (SMP), mixed AMP and SMP modes, and multiple SMP instance support within the RTOS, network, and middleware stacks, plus development tools that provide many flexible configuration options to meet your multi-core requirements.
- Lower hardware costs: Consolidate systems into fewer hardware platforms by using a combination of SMP, AMP, and networking optimizations.
- Speed time-to-market: Accelerate development with commercially available and supported run-time platforms and developer tools with support for multiprocessing.
- Reduce project risk: Deliver higher-performance multi-core-powered products with reduced risk and investment.
- Lower development costs: Increase productivity by using the same environment and process available for single-core development with multi-core extensions to existing development tools.
- Design more efficiently: Avoid costly design mistakes by leveraging Wind River® expertise and broad technology support for multiprocessing.
- Implement optimized virtualization: Leverage embedded virtualization with Wind River Hypervisor and VxWorks for the ultimate in multi-core flexibility.
Endless Multi-core Architecture Options
The VxWorks RTOS supports many innovative multi-core configuration options, delivering unprecedented architectural flexibility. Choose between AMP, SMP, multiple SMP instances, or combinations of AMP and SMP to best meet your application and platform requirements. You can also implement an optimized virtualization solution with guest OS support for Wind River Hypervisor that is provided out of the box with VxWorks.
VxWorks AMP
For small independent deterministic tasks, you can construct systems running the same or multiple copies of VxWorks, each handling different tasks and communicating within themselves with no shared resources.
| Key Features | Details |
| Multiple instances of VxWorks | AMP configurations, including multiple instances of VxWorks and other operating systems |
| TIPC and Wind River® MIPC internode communication | Out-of-the-box solutions for inter-core communication for AMP configurations |
| Shared memory, devices, virtual consoles, and hardware partitioning | Ready-to-use device and resource sharing, saving development time and money versus home-grown solutions |
| Boot support for AMP systems | Hardware bring-up, boot support, and initial configuration for AMP-based VxWorks systems |
| AMP debugging | Specialized support provided in Wind River Workbench for multi-OS technology (including multiple instances of VxWorks RTOS) |
VxWorks SMP
Build next-generation multi-core devices leveraging VxWorks SMP support, which maintains the same key RTOS characteristics of performance, small footprint, high reliability, and determinism as VxWorks running on single-core processors.
| Key Features | Details |
| Multitasking | True concurrent execution of tasks and interrupts |
| Concurrent task scheduling | A priority-based preemptive scheduler that manages the concurrent execution of tasks and automatic load balancing on different CPUs |
| Mutual exclusion | Specialized mechanisms for precise synchronization between tasks and interrupts received simultaneously on different CPUs |
| CPU affinity | The ability to assign specific tasks or interrupts to a specific CPU—useful for locking down tasks and processes to a single core |
| Simulation capability | Development of SMP applications that can begin without physical hardware; SMP simulators are provided with all standard uniprocessor VxWorks installations as an introduction to the SMP product |
| Enhanced hardware support | Performance optimizations and expanded support for multi-core processors from leading silicon manufacturers |
| Support in all VxWorks market-specific platforms |
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VxWorks Mixed Mode AMP and SMP
When your platform would be best served by multitasking with both dedicated resources and heavy processing tasks, mixing SMP with multiple AMP instances could be your best solution.
| Key Features | Details |
| Consolidation | Mixed mode allowing the combination of high processing and independent deterministic tasks in one multi-core platform |
VxWorks SMP Any-to-Any (Cores M to N)
If you require redundancy with hot backup capability or partitioning based on CPUs, VxWorks' unique SMP M2N configuration can help you achieve your multi-core goals. This configuration allows you to run multiple VxWorks SMP operatingsystem instances across dedicated core groupings. The number of cores for each SMP instance does not have to be the same, which allows you to dedicate core groupings as required by your application and high availability needs.
| Key Features | Details |
| Multiple VxWorks SMP operating system instances | Run next to each other, each instance can include a different number of cores |
| Higher performance across more than eight cores | Multiple schedulers, one for each SMP instance, provide maximum performance across multiple eight-core partitions |
Complete Life Cycle Tools
Wind River offers a collection of technologies that fully support VxWorks and are designed to accelerate the development of multi-core embedded systems.
Wind River Workbench: A key component of the VxWorks platform, the Workbench development suite provides advanced debugging, analysis, visualization, and target simulation.
Wind River Workbench On-Chip Debugging: Workbench On-Chip Debugging allows fast identification of problems between the hardware and software using a patent-pending multi-core debugging technology.
Wind River Simics: Developers use this full system simulator to simulate target hardware for board bring-up, application development, testing, and integration.
Wind River Diab Compiler: This highly optimized compiler maximizes performance and minimizes memory footprint for embedded software applications.
Architecture Support
Wind River VxWorks and Linux platforms offer the most comprehensive selection of board support packages (BSPs) for the leading multi-core processor providers:
Wind River VxWorks Platforms 
