What Every Driver Developer Should Know About Real-Time Linux

Explore the intricacies of real-time Linux kernel development in this 47-minute conference talk by Julia Cartwright from National Instruments. Gain insights into the PREEMPT_RT patch, its impact on device drivers, and the challenges faced in real-time system design. Learn about the classes of problems in drivers that affect real-time performance, their causes, and potential solutions. Discover the ongoing efforts to merge the RT patch into the mainline Linux kernel and the implications for driver developers. Delve into topics such as mixed criticality systems, latency, force IRQ threads, local locks, spinlock preemption, and debugging techniques. Benefit from Julia Cartwright's extensive experience in Linux kernel and device driver projects, particularly in real-time system design and the PREEMPT_RT patch.

Introduction
Mixed Criticality Systems
Latency
cyclic test
histogram
Mainline
Force IRQ Threads
The Good News
Dispatch
Local Locks
Semantics
IRQ
Architectural E
Latency Test
Low Power State
Scheduling Latency Example
Spinlock Preemption
Conclusion
Questions
MM IO
IRQ Threading
Request Threaded IRQ
Threaded Top Handler
Debugging