Embedded linux tool

Red Hat Announces Embedded Linux Developer Suite

Leading Linux distributor Red Hat announced Wednesday, Sept. 5, Embedded Linux Developer Suite. The product is aimed at developers working on applications for mobile and embedded system devices.

The suite includes Red Hat Embedded Linux, a stripped-down version of the open source operating system that is able to prioritize instructions based on real-time requirements.

"The demand for open source development tools is exploding as embedded developers from telecommunications, data communications and Internet appliance manufacturers are discovering the cost performance benefits of open-source-based devices," said Michael Tiemann, chief technical officer of Red Hat.

The embedded suite includes: a new version of Embedded Linux, based on the 2.4 kernel; a new configuration tool for building the user interface of a target environment; a new version of the GnuPro cross-development tools for multiple architectures; the RedBoot embedded boot loader for an initial bootstrap load of a program; and other tools.

The suite will become available in October; the price is still to be determined. The package includes support services for building, testing and deploying Linux embedded runtime systems, Tiemann said.

The move indicates Red Hat's increasing emphasis on embedded Linux, as well as business server and end user Linux. Red Hat named Tiemann CTO after acquiring the company he founded, Cygnus Solutions, an embedded systems tools supplier.