Date: 28/02/2011

Genode version 11.02 supports softcore CPU in FPGA based SoC chips

Genode is an OS framework with an architecture supporting dynamic workload and it is a community product, not a commercial one. The Genode OS framework is with low source-code complexity of less than 10,000 lines of code. Genode's targeted application domains include high-security computing, dependable systems, automotive applications, and mobile devices. Also this OS scale well towards for the needs of a general-purpose operating system.
Genode has announced new version of its Genode OS framework version 11.02. This version broadens the supporting of existing kernel and also support softcore CPUs in FPGAs.

The Genode's new Fiasco.OC kernel works with the x86_32, x86_64, and ARM processor architectures, features capability-based security, scales to multiple CPUs, and provides special optimizations for running virtualized operating systems on top. Genode can now leverage the advanced features of this kernel, in particular those related to enforcing strict security policies.

With NOVA and Fiasco.OC, there have now become two kernels available that are capable of enforcing Genode's security architecture at kernel level. NOVA has now become a base platforms that supports the entire Genode API without compromises.

The OS framework version 11.02 supports running Genode on softcore CPU as found in FPGA-based SoCs. The release says its custom kernel architecture achieves a further reduction of TCB complexity by consolidating kernel functionality with Genode's user-level core. The current implementation is able to run core and multiple instances of nested init processes on the Xilinx MicroBlaze CPU.

The most significant functional addition to the framework is a new execution environment called Noux that enables running unmodified GNU software on top of Genode. Even though in an early stage, Noux is already able to execute GNU coreutils without requiring manual porting work, stated in the release.
More details can be found in the release notes of version 11.02 at http://genode.org/news/documentation/release-notes/11.02

To know further on this announcement visit www.genode.org

For those who like to get a glimpse of genode framework through a screencast with a guided walk-through visit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJdWOmajo_8