For the first time, developers of FPGA systems using the popular Xilinx products can build and deploy their systems on a Linux platform, thanks to the Linux Professional Edition from MontaVista Software. The platform will support Xilinx's Virtex-II ProTM FPGA products. With this MontaVista/Xilinx collaboration, Linux developers will be able to reconfigure, enhance, and optimize their designs throughout the entire product development life cycle. They now have a completely programmable, reprogrammable, and field-upgradable system platform.
"The combination of Xilinx's flexible, programmable platform and MontaVista Software's embedded Linux development system allows developers to use a single hardware/software platform for a variety of products," explains Glenn Seiler, MontaVista's director of product marketing. "This in turn helps designers lower production costs and, at the same time, speeds next-generation products to market."
Linux Professional Edition 2.1 is offered as an annual product subscription, with the fully tested MontaVista Linux kernel, utilities, development tools, continuous software updates, access to the MontaVista Zone (exclusive customer Web portal), and comprehensive technical support. For a minimum of three seats, the annual product subscription is about $25,000. For a larger number, the per-seat cost may be less. MontaVista also provides several complementary technology products addressing specific customer needs such as the Java development environment, high-availability technology, and graphics toolkits at an additional cost.
Linux Professional Edition 2.1 will be available for the Xilinx Virtex-II Pro platform in the fourth quarter from MontaVista Software and its worldwide distribution channels. This royalty-free open source is built from 100% pure Linux sources.
MontaVista Software, (408) 328-9213; www.mvista.com.