| Citrix spins off Ardence real-time business |
Jul. 28, 2008
Ardence's embedded software business has changed hands again, with Citrix selling it off to a group led by "senior" Ardence executives. IntervalZero will continue to sell the ETS RTOS (real-time OS), Select "instant on" utility, and RTX, touted as the first-ever real-time extension for Windows XP and XP Embedded.
The sell-off was completed on Jul. 15. Financial terms were not announced.
Waltham, Mass.-based Ardence, formerly known as VentureCom, was one of the first third-party suppliers of add-on software targeting the use of Microsoft operating systems in embedded and real-time applications. Best known for its RTX, a deterministic, real-time extension for Windows XP and Windows XP Embedded, Ardence was acquired by Citrix in January 2007.
IntervalZero comprises the Ardence embedded software group's management, engineering, development, sales, marketing, finance, and support professionals. It plans to market the following products, which will be sold under their existing names:- RTX, said to provide direct, real-time control of embedded hardware from within Microsoft Windows
- ETS (Embedded Tool Suite), said to be the smallest-footprint, stand-alone RTOS (real-time operating system) that supports the Win32 API
- Select, touted as providing multi-purpose device functionality on a single Windows Vista system, minimizing boot time while making devices corruption- and virus-proof
Lou Shipley, VP and general manager of Citrix's Xen Products Group, of which Ardence had become a part, said today, "We believe there are significant opportunities in embedded technology, but it is not a core business for Citrix. To continue to grow and succeed, the business needed both the focus and the investment that [CEO] Jeff [Hibbard] and the IntervalZero team are fully committed to delivering."
Shipley added, "Their approach to the market and their business model are sound, which is why we have maintained a stake."
Hibbard said, "The IntervalZero team proudly continues a 28-year tradition of developing and delivering innovative software solutions for the embedded computing markets."
RTX
IntervalZero's flagship product, RTX, is touted as adding real-time capabilities to Windows, providing precise control of IRQs, I/O, and memory. Described as a "true extension in that it does not encapsulate Windows, and does not interfere with or modify the Windows infrastructure," RTX allows code to be built as Windows executables (EXE) that run in User Mode (Ring 3) to utilize memory protection, or as real-time subsystem (RTSS) executables that run in Kernel Mode (Ring 0) for maximum performance.
RTX architecture allows running code in Ring 3 or Ring 0
New features in version 8.1 of RTX, announced in February, include support for Message Signaled Interrupt-capable devices, providing an alternative to line-based interrupts (IRQs). This eliminates restrictive hardware IRQ conflicts and allows use of a broad array of PCI and PCI Express devices, the company says.
RTX version 8.1 also added:- an enhanced TCP/IP stack, which runs independently of Windows, supporting IPv4, IPv6, RAW sockets, and Jumbo frames.
- Shared multiprocessor support for Windows Vista, complementing existing uniprocessor and dedicated multiprocessor capabilities
- Enhanced kernel debugging, via newly available IEEE 1394 and USB connection capabilities
- Timer periods as low as one microsecond
For more details of RTX, see our earlier coverage, here.
ETS
Meanwhile, IntervalZero's ETS (Embedded Tool Suite) is the company's own embedded RTOS, obtained as part of a 2000 acquisition of Phar Lap Software. ETS is described as a high performance RTOS for x86 processors. It has an operational footprint as little as 88KB, rising to less than 500KB even with I/O, graphics, and TCP/IP, the company says.
IntervalZero ETS hierarchical component diagram
(Click to enlarge)
Because ETS was designed as a Win32 API-compliant operating system, all the standard Windows programming conventions are maintained, says IntervalZero. The ETS kernel architecture is said to let system architects utilize either a monolithic or split kernel/application implementation. A set of supplied development tools plugs into Microsoft's Visual Studio development environment, the company adds.
Select
Finally, IntervalZero's Select is a Windows Vista add-on that can allow a single computer to operate in multiple preconfigured, hardened modes. For example, says the company, a device might be bootable into dedicated television, digital video recorder, media center, and personal computer modes, as illustrated by the diagram below.
IntervalZero's Select segments a Windows Vista-based device into hardened modes
(Click to enlarge)
IntervalZero says each Select mode can have a different user interface and applications associated with it. Akin to Windows XP Embedded's FBWF (file based write filer), Select may be configured to discard all changes when a system -- or, in this case, "mode" -- is rebooted, rendering it impervious from viruses and malware.
Also touted for Select is an instant on/off mode that ensures instantaneous device operability, without consuming battery power or requiring a device to be left in sleep mode. Working in conjunction with Windows Vista's hibernation facility, Select can load into any of its modes in seconds, bypassing driver loading, OS booting, network configuration, and application loading, says IntervalZero.
Further information
While IntervalZero has launched a new website, here, more extensive information on RTX, ETS, and Select, including data sheets, is still found at the Ardence.com domain, here, here, and here, respectively.
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