Linux has become increasingly popular as an embedded operating system. Such characteristics such as its reliability, robustness, open source, license-free nature, and successful implementation on a wide range of hardware, are some of the key reasons.
This four and one-half day course provides substantial practice with the key steps in developing an embedded Linux product. The course shows attendees how to configure a small Linux kernel, develop code within the kernel, such as for new system functionality or device drivers, and how to measure and obtain real-time performance with Linux.
The course begins with a complete, simple, project that walks the attendees through the entire process of creating a special version of the Linux kernel, creating a root file system, including just the libraries that are needed, and constructing a custom boot sequence.
Attendees will spend approximately 50 percent of the class time actually gaining hands-on experience with these topics.
The course is designed for real-time or embedded engineers who are new to real-time or embedded Linux. Attendees should have experience with C and be able to perform basic Unix commands.
The workshop materials include a comprehensive student workbook and CD. The workbook contains all of the slides used in the course as well as hands-on lab exercises.
The CD contains the lab exercise code as well as a large amount of embedded and real-time Linux software.
This course may optionally be taught with the use of a representative embedded Linux device.
The workshop makes use of standard PC's with a desktop Linux distribution for development. The PC will be used as an example target for both real-time and embedded. Alternative platforms such as those with MIPS or PPC CPUs will be used as examples. Since Linux has been effectively ported to many architectures, the principles taught in the workshop are appropriate for a wide range of target platforms.