electronics Article Performance Assessment of Linux Kernels with PREEMPT_RT on ARM-Based Embedded Devices George K. Adam 1,* , Nikos Petrellis 2 and Lambros T. Doulos 3 1 CSLab Computer Systems Laboratory, Department of Digital Systems, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larisa, Greece 2 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Peloponnese, 26334 Patra, Greece;
[email protected] 3 School of Applied Arts, Hellenic Open University, 26335 Patra, Greece;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +30-241-0684-596 Abstract: This work investigates the real-time performance of Linux kernels and distributions with a PREEMPT_RT real-time patch on ARM-based embedded devices. Experimental measurements, which are mainly based on heuristic methods, provide novel insights into Linux real-time perfor- mance on ARM-based embedded devices (e.g., BeagleBoard and RaspberryPi). Evaluations of the Linux real-time performance are based on specific real-time software measurement modules, devel- oped for this purpose, and the use of a standard benchmark tool, cyclictest. Software modules were designed upon the introduction of a new response task model, an innovative aspect of this work. Measurements include the latency of response tasks at user and kernel space, the response on the exe- cution of periodic tasks, the maximum sustained frequency and general latency performance metrics. The results show that in such systems the PREEMPT_RT patch provides more improved real-time performance than the default Linux kernels. The latencies and particularly the worst-case latencies are reduced with real-time support, thus making such devices running Linux with PREEMPT_RT Citation: Adam, G.K.; Petrellis, N.; more appropriate for use in time-sensitive embedded control systems and applications.