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RedHawk Linux RTOS

Real-time performance in mission-critical applications

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RedHawk™ Linux®: Real-Time Performance for Mission-Critical Applications

RedHawk™ Linux, developed by Concurrent Real-Time, is a powerful real-time operating system (RTOS) designed to meet the uncompromising demands of time-critical applications. Its advanced real-time determinism and ultra-low latency make it the ideal choice for industries requiring responsiveness, including aerospace, defense, automotive, manufacturing, and medical imaging.

RedHawk Linux ensures consistent real-time performance by leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as symmetric multiprocessing (SMP), processor shielding, and NUMA (Non-Uniform Memory Access) optimization. These features allow it to maintain high precision and reliability in applications where delays or missed deadlines are not an option.

Learn more about RedHawk RedHawk Linux on Nvidia Jetson

Applications of RedHawk Linux®

RedHawk is widely deployed in:

  • Hardware-in-the-loop and software-in-the-loop simulations
  • Data acquisition systems
  • Industrial control systems
  • Medical imaging solutions   
  • High-speed transaction processing environments
  • Embedded defense systems

By delivering high-speed event response time of less than 5 microseconds on certified platforms, RedHawk Linux empowers engineers to build solutions with unparalleled reliability and efficiency.

Key Characteristics

RedHawk’s user-level commands, utilities, and APIs are fully compatible with standard Linux distributions such as RHEL, CentOS, and Ubuntu, enabling seamless application migration and development.

Features such as scalable processor shielding, advanced scheduling, and preemptive kernel design ensure optimal response times.

Paired with the NightStar™ toolset, RedHawk offers powerful debugging, monitoring, and analysis capabilities for developing and optimizing real-time applications

RedHawk Linux is more than just an RTOS; it’s a comprehensive solution for engineering teams aiming to enhance reliability, reduce development time, and achieve superior system performance in mission-critical environments.

RedHawk Features

Comprehensive Real-Time Linux Capabilities

RedHawk Linux provides an extensive suite of features designed to meet the specific requirements of real-time and mission-critical environments.

Compatible with QEMU/KVM for virtual target environments and supports Docker containers for flexible development workflows.
Dynamically shield individual CPUs or cores from background tasks, ensuring uninterrupted real-time application execution. Includes both command-line and GUI-based shielding tools.
Achieves sub-5-microsecond response times on certified platforms, critical for hard real-time systems.
Enhances memory access determinism by localizing process memory and minimizing latency in NUMA architectures.
Features Frequency-Based Scheduling (FBS) for cyclical task execution with overrun detection and performance monitoring.
Supports priority inheritance, preemptive kernel design, and lockless kernel trace for predictable multi-threaded performance.
Provides support for real-time clock and interrupt modules, enabling rapid and deterministic response to external events.
NightStar™ tools offer non-intrusive debugging, monitoring, and tuning for CPU and GPU applications, ensuring minimal system intrusion.
RedHawk Architect simplifies creating target-specific kernel and application images, catering to embedded applications with minimal diskless footprints.
Optimized NVIDIA graphics and GPU drivers enable real-time rendering and CUDA computation.
Supports soft real-time requirements for workloads with high thread counts, augmenting RedHawk’s hard real-time capabilities.

RedHawk’s features are engineered to empower developers, reduce complexity, and enhance system reliability in real-time and embedded environments.

Why Choose RedHawk Linux?

RedHawk Linux offers a range of compelling benefits that help engineering teams tackle the unique challenges of real-time and mission-critical systems.

Dedicated Support for Real-Time Success

Concurrent Real-Time provides industry-leading support services to ensure RedHawk Linux integrates seamlessly into your operations. Our commitment to your success extends from initial deployment through long-term maintenance and optimization.

Version Support

Release

OS

Linux Kernel

RedHawk 9.2

Rocky 9.2 | RHEL 9.2 | Oracle 9.2 | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

Kernel.org 6.1.19-rt8

RedHawk 8.4

Rocky 8.4 | RHEL 8.4 | Oracle 8.4 | Ubuntu 20.04

Kernel.org 5.10.59-rt52

RedHawk 8.0

CentOS 8.0 | RHEL 8.0| Ubuntu 18.04

Kernel.org 4.14

Support Highlights:

End-to-End Lifecycle Support

RedHawk Linux is backed by a single-vendor solution that simplifies system maintenance and integration. From initial setup to advanced system enhancements, our dedicated support team ensures you achieve maximum value from your real-time operating system. With decades of expertise in real-time computing, Concurrent Real-Time stands as your trusted partner for delivering reliable, high-performance solutions tailored to your mission-critical needs.

Videos

Play

Tuning a RedHawk Linux System – Part 2

Play

Tuning a RedHawk Linux System – Part 1

Play

RedHawk Linux Demo at NVIDIA GTC 2024

Play

Securing Real-Time Systems

Blogs & News

Related Articles

  • Diagram showing software staying the same while hardware changes: Guest OS + Application on RedHawk KVM-RT Host, with Hardware Gen 1 retired, Gen 2 in production, and Gen 3 planned refresh.

    Preserving Legacy Real-Time Applications Through Virtualization

    Preserving Legacy Real-Time Applications Through Virtualization Real-time applications often remain in service much longer than the hardware on which they were originally developed. Test systems, industrial controls, simulation environments, and data-acquisition platforms…

    Read more

  • Diagram comparing native RedHawk Linux (left) and RedHawk KVM-RT virtualization (right) with application layer and real-time workload on both sides.

    Native Real-Time Linux vs. Real-Time Virtualization: Which Architecture Fits Your Application?

    Native Real-Time Linux vs. Real-Time Virtualization: Which Architecture Fits Your Application? Virtualization is now common in enterprise computing, but timing-sensitive systems introduce requirements that conventional IT workloads do not share. An application may…

    Read more

  • Diagram of NUMA placement: keep Cores, Memory, and PCIe device in one node (local placement). Cross-node placement is discouraged (Node 0 and Node 1).

    How CPU Shielding, NUMA, and Interrupt Affinity Affect Real-Time Virtual Machines

    How CPU Shielding, NUMA, and Interrupt Affinity Affect Real-Time Virtual Machines Running a real-time operating system inside a virtual machine does not automatically create a deterministic environment. The virtual machine still depends…

    Read more

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