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After Cavium announced that it will acquire MontaVista for $50 million, analysts are now weighing in on the acquisition. Both Jay Lyman of The 451 Group and Bill Weinberg of LinuxPundit view the acquisition as a sign of a consolidation trend in embedded Linux, while Weinberg points to MontaVista missteps that led to sale.

Semiconductor firm Cavium Networks announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire embedded Linux pioneer MontaVista Software for $50 million. After the acquisition wraps up in December, MontaVista will run as a separate operating unit, retain its own brand name, and support multiple architectures, MontaVista execs Jim Ready and Dan Cauchy told LinuxDevices.

Linux lies at the heart of yet another big takeover deal in silicon valley. Chip makers love Linux. That was why, in part, Intel bought Wind River. And it is very definitely the main reason behind Cavium Networks acquisition of MontaVista Software. A truism of today's processor industry is that embedded Linux is the operating system of choice for developers.

MontaVista Software announced more Market Specific Distributions (MSDs) for its MontaVista Linux 6 commercial embedded development distribution. The MSDs are separated into industrial automation, multi-core networking, Android, automotive and portable multimedia, and multifunction-printer versions, and support processors from Cavium, Freescale, Intel, and Texas Instruments, says the company.

Linux vendor MontaVista Software is expanding its Carrier Grade Linux (CGL) product offering to include new next generation LTE (define) wireless and networking capabilities. MontaVista Carrier Grade Edition 5.1 is the first major release of the platform in nearly two years, and remains compatible with most of the underlying architecture from the CGE 5.0 release. With MontaVista Carrier Grade Edition Linux widely deployed in network equipment at service providers around the world, change is not always a good thing and neither is being on the bleeding edge of Linux development.

MontaVista Software announced a new release of its Carrier Grade Linux (CGL) 4.0 compliant Linux distribution for networking customers, adding support for 4G wireless networks including LTE and WiMAX. MontaVista Linux Carrier Grade Edition (CGE) 5.1 also integrates OpenSAF High Availability (HA) capabilities and is the first to offer virtual routing and forwarding, says MontaVista.

A few days ago I received the latest issue of Linux Journal Magazine. I must admit that one of the sections I look forward to reading is diff -u. This section summarizes the latest updates and discussions of the Linux kernel development community. It becomes much easier to read a summary as opposed to signing up for the mailing list because you will just get bombarded with e-mails which can be overwhelming the majority of the time. While reading I came across a Montavista developed project called pramfs. In summary pramfs is a non-volatile RAM based file system, similar to your ramfs and tmpfs with a few differences to distinguish it from the others and in turn adapted for an embedded environment. Two obvious differences are that it is persistent like a traditional disk-based file system and does not reside in volatile DRAM. Pramfs is not new. It was originally announced back in 2004. It is designed to be a simplified file system that does not carry the same weight of the journal-based file systems.

Montavista now supports x86, ARM 5 and 6 and MIPS as market-specific embedded Linux. Released in May, version 6 of the embedded Linux operating system now has Versatile ARM 1176 and 926 (ARM versions 5 and 6), the Freescale MPCs 8377, 8349 and 8572, Intel x86 platforms with Pentium and Xeon processors, a number of MIPS and the developer board Xilinx ML 507 on its list of platform-specific distros.

Intel's Wind River subsidiary is now the leader in embedded Linux, at least when it comes to revenues, according to the market analysis by VDC Research. Wind River, which was acquired in June by Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) for $884 million, has more than 30 percent of the total market revenue for embedded Linux, VDC found. Rival MontaVista Linux sees another story.

LXer Feature: 20-Jul-2009

The race to fast boot times is on, with MontaVista making the latest headlines. The embedded Linux vendor announced in the United States Tuesday its latest system is able to boot in one second, and released a video demonstrating a vehicle dashboard system going from cold boot into a "fully operational" state in that time.

It's getting to where a fellow can't enjoy a nice relaxing boot time these days. The latest perpetrator of the conspiracy: Linux application tool vendor MontaVista, which said today that it is demonstrating an embedded Linux system that boots in just one second. MontaVista's Linux demo goes from a cold boot into a sample, "fully operational" vehicle dashboard application in a single second, the company said. It will be showing off the speedy boot performance at the Virtual Freescale Technology Forum this week.

The race for the fastest Linux boot has been going on for about a year at this point and now we've got a new winner. Embedded Linux vendor MontaVista today is announcing the demonstration of a 1 second Linux boot. In contrast the fastest production Linux releases today are in the 20-25 second range. To be fair, MontaVista's Linux with the 1 second boot is embedded and designed specifically for the Freescale Semiconductor MPC5121e hardware built on Power Architecture technology. That's not to say they can't get the same performance on other architectures, it's that is the hardware on which the first 1 second boot is being demonstrated.

Linux has gained in popularity among server and device vendors as being a good general purpose operating system. When it comes to device vendors which often have different chip architectures and needs than a general purpose operating system provides, there is a need for customization which adds time and expense to a project. Embedded Linux vendor MontaVista is now taking aim at that issue by splitting apart its Linux distribution into what it refers to as Market Specific Distributions (MSDs).

I've been writing about Intel's Moblin since 2007. The basic idea is that it's a mobile Linux distribution as well as a community for mobile Linux developers. For Intel, it is a key effort as it works hand in hand with their Atom CPUs. Now after two years of going it on their own, Intel is transferring the effort to the Linux Foundation. Considering that initially at least, Moblin was not something that was welcomed by embedded Linux vendor MontaVista, the move to have Moblin be more open is a good thing.

It probably won't be "Facebook for Linux" but a Web site launching Tuesday is intended to create an online community specifically for Linux programmers who focus on embedded applications such as mobile devices, set-top boxes, industrial controls and everything apart from servers and PCs. The Web site, dubbed Meld, is organized and supported by MontaVista Software, which markets a Linux software stack, services, support and tools for the embedded market.

LXer Feature: 12-Oct-2008

In this week's Roundup Linux turns 17, Google releases their Linux repositories, a new Linux Broadcom driver arrives and Sean Michael Kerner asks if .NET on Linux is finally ready or not. Also, an introduction to free music production software, Debian leader Steve McIntyre says Lenny might be late and in what I would consider to be an extremely bad idea, the ISO offers to take over maintenance of the ODF standard from Oasis, stating that they are not dealing with defect reports fast enough.

CEO Rusty Harris revealed MontaVista's role developing the quick-booting, ARM-based processor subsystem expected to ship this year in select Dell laptop models. The "Latitude ON" feature aims to give enterprise laptop users instant boot-up and access to select applications, with multi-day battery lifetimes.

Yamaha has added embedded Linux to the electronic "player piano" add-on it offers with some models. With version 3.0 of the Mark IV firmware, MontaVista Linux controls the 333MHz AMD Geode-based piano, enabling new interface possibilities, acoustic recording, and interaction with Web-based services.

MontaVista announced that its Mobilinux 5.0 Linux distribution for mobile devices has been optimized for the Freescale i.MX31 system-on-chip (SoC). The optimization brings the total number of Freescale processors supported by MontaVista distributions to ten, says the company.

Set aside an hour on September 11th or 12th and learn how to debug those complex Linux applications without leaving your desk. Linux application tool vendor MontaVista has scheduled a live online 'webinar' to show off the debugging features of its DevRocket integrated development environment (IDE) for Linux. It says the IDE will help developers build better Linux applications and deliver them to market quickly.

A board vendor in China/Taiwan is touting a mini-ITX system based on Freescale's fastest PowerQUICC II processor. Micetek, which specializes in 8- and 32-bit processor development boards, said its MPC8349E-mITX system comes with Linux, and can be used to build networking, communications, and "pervasive computing" equipment. Micetek's mini-ITX system is based on its MPC8349E-mITX board, which it appears to have originally developed for Freescale. Freescale resells the board as its MPC8349E-mITXE reference platform, and will feature the board in this fall's 23-city MontaVista/Freescale roadshow.

MontaVista® Software, Inc., the leading provider of Linux® for intelligent devices and communications infrastructure, together with Freescale Semiconductor, Avnet, and EBV Elektronik today announced the Embedded Linux World Tour 2007, a series of live seminars for device designers and developers across North America and Europe. Embedded Linux World Tour seminars will be presented in 23 cities in 9 countries between September 4 and November 15, 2007.

Traditionally, the Linux operating system (OS) has been viewed as being too big, too slow, and without the real-time capabilities needed for mobile devices. But as 20 million Linux-based mobile handsets have shipped over the last two years it's difficult to ignore the fact that the Linux OS has quickly taken its place among the top four OS's for high-end "Smartphone" devices.

MontaVista® Software, Inc., the leading provider of Linux for intelligent devices and communications infrastructure, will present a free educational webinar examining the latest dramatic developments in the real-time capabilities of embedded Linux. Information and registration for the session is available online at www.linuxwebinars.com. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, July 25, at 10:30 a.m. U.S. Pacific Time or 1:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time.

May 14, 2007 -- Bellevue, WA -- ITTIA is further strengthening its ITTIA Database management software for embedded systems and devices with the release of version 2.0. ITTIA previews this new release at one of Japan’s largest embedded gatherings, ESEC -- Embedded Systems Expo and Conference. ESEC provides embedded developers with an opportunity to learn about exciting new technologies, such as ITTIA Database.

[ITTIA appears to be non-libre software. - dcparris]

Jitterbit has released version 1.2 of their open source integration software that allows users to connect customer data from a variety of sources and formats, such as local and hosted ERP and CRM applications, legacy systems, data warehouses and online marketplaces.

MontaVista Software has bought two UK-based companies, MontaVista Limited and Liberte, in a move that strengthens its ability to meet exploding demand in Europe for commercial Linux products and services.

With a major revampment of MontaVista Linux Professional Edition, MontaVista Software hopes to spur development of more embedded Linux systems in handheld PDAs, smart phones, telecom equipment, and all manner of other devices.

MontaVista Software recently released the latest version of its real-time Linux operating system (RTOS), MontaVista Linux Professional Edition 5.0. New to the product are a faster response time, an updated Linux kernel, advanced protocol support, and a host of tools for developers of RTOS systems and applications.

MontaVista has released a new version of its Eclipse-based toolsuite for embedded Linux application development. Application Developer Kit (ADK) 5.0 features an "all-plugin" architecture for better cross-vendor tools interoperability, supports MontaVista's new real-time oriented Pro 5.0 distribution, and comes with powerful analysis tools and virtual targets, the company said.

In a nod toward the RTOS market that founder Jim Ready pioneered, MontaVista is shipping a new version of its commercial embedded Linux distribution said to offer true real-time performance along with a very small footprint. MontaVista Linux Professional Edition Version 5.0 boasts enhanced real-time performance and lower resource usage.

MontaVista Software of California has cut the size of and improved real-time support in its embedded Linux operating system. Called Pro 5, “it has 3Mbyte flash memory requirement”, product director Patrick MacCartee told EW. “Version 4.0 needed 12Mbyte.” Based on open source components, this is “the first embedded OS to provide integration of the latest real-time patches from Ingo Molnar, a leading contributor to Linux kernel development,” said MontaVista. “These patches will provide enhanced user space options in real-time.”

Foreword: This guest column summarizes results from a recent study on Linux in the embedded systems market by Venture Development Corp. (VDC). The results suggest that commercial Linux OS suppliers, such as MontaVista, Wind River, TimeSys Sysgo, and many others, are struggling to compete with purely open source offerings.

MontaVista Software has strengthened its position as the leading provider of Linux for intelligent devices and communications infrastructure with the development of new advanced smartphones set to be released in Italy.

Enea says its high-availability network software will be available pre-integrated with Kontron's AdvancedTCA and AdvancedMC systems. The combined product targets media gateways, base station controllers, and session border controllers, and will run MontaVista Linux.

QuickSec 4.1 Enables Carrier-Grade Security Gateways to Support Next-Generation Mobile VPN Devices

Sasken Communication Technologies says its multimedia application/codec stack was licensed by Wistron NeWeb Corp. (WNC) for several Linux mobile phones due in early 2007. The phones will run Sasken's "Multimedia Subsystem Solution" (MSS) stack on a MontaVista Linux kernel and TI OMAP application processor.

MontaVista and WLAN (wireless LAN) chipset maker Atheros have founded an open source project aimed at enabling Linux to more easily support a wide variety of SDIO peripherals, including WLAN cards, bluetooth radios, hard drives, modems, GPS recievers, DTV tuners, cameras, voice recorders, biometric fingerprint readers, and business card scanners.

This whitepaper discusses telephony server middleware that aims to de-couple cellular modem functionality from mobile phone operating systems. It was written by Blane E. Rockafellow, who co-founded TapRoot Systems, a telephony server specialist that has partnered with Microsoft, MontaVista, Trolltech (story), and Symbian.

Aplix Corporation announced today it has formed a strategic alliance with MontaVista Software Inc. to integrate MontaVista's Mobilinux products with its middleware framework on Mobile Linux. Also, Aplix made an equity investment in MontaVista Software.

Tensilica is shipping two new processor core families based on its "post-RISC" style Xtensa architecture. The LX2 and Xtensa 7 cores are available with MontaVista Linux, and come with tools aimed at helping designers configure interfaces, memory subsystems, and other components, and even extend the architecture with C/C++ application-specific instructions.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — MontaVista Software Inc. last week announced the beta release of an integrated development environment (IDE), code-named Project Tsuki, that promises full compatibility with the Eclipse framework. It supports the MontaVista Linux operating system with new analysis features aimed at simplifying embedded Linux development.

Optimized for distributed network infrastructure applications spanning multiple processors and operating systems, version 2.0 of the Element high-availability middleware from Enea is now available for MontaVista Carrier Grade Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Fedora Core, and CentOS (Community ENTerprise Operating System). Element 2.0 also works out of the box with Kontron's XL8000 AdvancedTCA system and provides standard interfaces for AdvancedTCA and the SA Forum's Hardware Platform Interface

Prominent embedded Linux companies, standards organizations, and mobile carriers will attend the inaugural "Open Source in Mobile" conference next week in Amsterdam. Sponsored by Trolltech, the event features presentations from MontaVista, Motorola, Panasonic, Purple Labs, a la Mobile, Nokia, VirtualLogix, Access/Palmsource, Orange, BT, Vodafone, Neuf Cegetel, Navica, Sun, and others.

Hard real-time capabilities helped MontaVista's carrier-grade Linux distribution become the preferred OS for a Dutch network equipment provider (NEP) specializing in standards-based platforms for private military, police, fire, ambulance, and airport radio networks. Rohill's TetraNode Exchange (TNX) soft-switch is available in CompactPCI and AdvancedTCA models.

MontaVista has upgraded its Linux-based software platform for mobile phones. Mobilinux 4.1 supports lower-cost hardware, the company says, thanks to footprint improvements aimed at lessening DRAM and flash memory requirements. The OS includes advanced real-time capabilities, and is suitable for use on single-chipset, mass market phones, according to the company.

Texas Instruments had one operating system at the top if its list when it put together support for DaVinci, its latest dual-core ARM/DSP OMAP line—MontaVista's Linux.

Open source collaboration will provide device manufacturers and operators with an open alternative to closed, proprietary systems

LXer Feature: 04-Aug-2006

GNU/Linux -- Like No Other Hotrod, Ever

While others appear to be going backwards, Linux just keeps racing ahead.

'Linux supports more devices, "out of the box", than any other operating system ever has.'

"Yes, that's right, we support more things than anyone else. And more than anyone else ever has in the past. Linux has a very long list of things that we have supported before anyone else ever did."
-- Greg Kroah-Hartman, OLS 2006 Keynote