From: "Phil Parker" <Phil@OnCoreSystems.com>
To: <lwn@lwn.net>
Subject: Press Release:  OnCore Systems Ships Full-Function Support for IBM PowerPC 405
Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 00:11:41 -0500


OnCore Ships Full-Function Support for IBM PowerPC 405

HALF MOON BAY, CA. - Jan 30, 2001-- OnCore Systems Corporation, developer of
the OnCore OS™, the most powerful embedded OS of its kind, today began
shipping full support of IBM's PowerPC 405™ embedded processor, Revision D,
the latest release of this high-power embedded processor line.  "Based on
requests from key customers and prospects, whose designs require the full
use of the hardware IP, OnCore Systems responded by delivering the most
comprehensive 405 processor support in the industry," announced Chip
Downing, President and CEO of OnCore Systems.

IBM's 405 line of "system-on-a-chip" RISC processors delivers up to 375 MIPS
of processing power, in these configurations:
·	The PowerPC 405CR, designed for integrated, cost-conscious embedded
applications.
·	The PowerPC 405GP, incorporating greater functionality and integration.

Both PowerPC 405s come equipped with an integrated MMU, and both give
systems builders a selection of embedded peripherals, including on-chip
Ethernet, a code decompression engine, a PCI bus interface, on-chip SRAM,
and intelligent multifunction I/O interfaces.

The OnCore OS is the ideal software complement to the 405 hardware IP
features. According to Donn Rochette, CTO and VP of Engineering for OnCore
Systems, "The OnCore OS is one of the few operating systems available today
with integrated Memory Management Unit (MMU) support, and it is the only
real-time OS to offer full Virtual Memory Management (VMM) support, which
truly leverages the 405's capabilities."  In addition, Rochette said,
"Complete implementation of VMM and protected memory partitions enables the
OnCore OS to host multiple real-time applications, and if desired, a full
version of Linux that is fully preemptable--all of which is available today
for the PowerPC 405 family of processors."

OnCore OS Optimizes TLB Management Capabilities
The 405's MMU has been optimized for use with embedded designs. An integral
element of this design is the Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB).  For many
PowerPC processors, TLB translations are processed using fixed,
hardware-enabled algorithms.  In contrast, IBM enabled embedded designers to
optimize TLB translations for the PowerPC 405 by allowing these functions to
be controlled by software.  "This is a challenge", states Rochette, "because
the exception handling must be fully reentrant and preemptable".

The OnCore development environment taps the full power of 405 by enabling
designers to modify the TLB replacement algorithm to match application
software requirements. System designers can make three key changes to give
their products a competitive edge:
1.	Define page sizes to optimize memory allocation.
1.	Lock down regions of memory managed by the TLB to give preference to
high-priority programs.
2.	Extend the TLB replacement algorithm to give preference to real-time
programs.

 Designers can mix high-priority real-time programs with lower-priority
programs (for example Linux) and still maintain high response times for
embedded applications by instituting these changes.




The Most Complete Solution for the 405
Extending functionality still further, the OnCore OS PowerPC 405 product
enables the use of the SPRG registers unique to the 405 to improve
performance.  In addition, the internal Ethernet, DMA controllers, PCI
Bridge, and other powerful integrated IPs are also fully supported by OnCore
OS.

Note:
For a complete list of supported features in the OnCore OS PowerPC 405
product, view OnCore's PowerPC 405 Capabilities Guide on the web at:
http://www.OnCoreSystems.com/PPc405.htm.

In summary, this release of the OnCore OS for the very flexible IBM 405
strategically positions OnCore Systems to quickly support all future
additions to IBM's 400 family--including all Book E processors, the PowerPC
440 family, and the entire line of upcoming PowerNP NPe405x network
processors family.


ABOUT ONCORE SYSTEMS
OnCore Systems Corporation provides hard real-time, highly resilient
operating systems for mission-critical applications running on embedded
designs, powered by microprocessors from AMD (NYSE:AMD), IBM (NYSE:IBM),
Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), MIPS (NASDAQ:MIPS) and Motorola (NYSE:MOT). The OnCore
product line also features embedded Linux solutions that deliver
predictable, sub-5 microseconds response times to real-time events, while
maintaining 100% binary compatibility with Red Hat (NASDAQ:RHAT) Linux
applications.  OnCore's scalable offering of embedded Linux usage models
implement standard Linux, Linux OnCall™ and Linux OnDemand™ products, along
with a complete family RTOS APIs that can run simultaneously on top of
OnCore's virtual memory-based microkernel. OnCore Systems also offers
high-availability solutions, and software development tools and services to
assist customers in meeting critical time-to-market demands.

OnCore Systems (http://www.OnCoreSystems.com), headquartered in Half Moon
Bay, California, was founded in early 1999.


MEDIA CONTACT:
Phil Parker, VP of Marketing, Phone: 781-334-0060, Email:
Phil@OnCoreSystems.com

SALES:
Western US / International:	650-465-2222
Eastern US: 			860-648-0681
Europe:				+44 (0) 1942 819581
Email: 				Sales@OnCoreSystems.com


OnCore, OnCore OS, Linux for Real-Time, Linux OnDemand and Linux OnCall are
trademarks of OnCore Systems Corporation.  IBM is a registered trademark of
International Business Machines.  PowerPC and PowerPC 405 are trademarks of
International Business Machines.  Linux is a registered trademark of Linus
Torvalds.