RTnet is a hard real-time network protocol stack that is open source and compatible with real-time Linux extensions like Xenomai and RTAI.
RTnet is an excellent open source hard real-time network protocol stack developed for Xenomai and RTAI (real-time Linux extensions). This innovative project leverages standard Ethernet hardware and supports a variety of popular NIC chip sets, such as Gigabit Ethernet. Additionally, the software offers Ethernet-over-1394 support through the use of the RT-FireWire protocol stack.
RTnet deploys UDP/IP, ICMP, and ARP protocols in a deterministic manner, and it provides a POSIX socket API for real-time user space processes and kernel modules. To prevent unpredictable collisions and congestions on Ethernet networks, the software employs a unique protocol layer, RTmac, to control media access. A dedicated Ethernet segment is necessary to ensure bounded transmission delays, but RTnet also facilitates tunneling non real-time traffic like TCP/IP over RTmac to enable single-cable solutions for connecting control systems.
The software is ideal for a wide range of applications, including fieldbus replacements, distributed real-time computing, and video/audio streaming. RTnet was originally designed by Ulrich Marx as part of his diploma thesis at the Institute for Systems Engineering, Real-Time Systems Group, University of Hannover (Germany). Today, the software is continuously maintained and improved by the institute and numerous other contributors worldwide.
RTnet deploys UDP/IP, ICMP, and ARP protocols in a deterministic manner, and it provides a POSIX socket API for real-time user space processes and kernel modules. To prevent unpredictable collisions and congestions on Ethernet networks, the software employs a unique protocol layer, RTmac, to control media access. A dedicated Ethernet segment is necessary to ensure bounded transmission delays, but RTnet also facilitates tunneling non real-time traffic like TCP/IP over RTmac to enable single-cable solutions for connecting control systems.
The software is ideal for a wide range of applications, including fieldbus replacements, distributed real-time computing, and video/audio streaming. RTnet was originally designed by Ulrich Marx as part of his diploma thesis at the Institute for Systems Engineering, Real-Time Systems Group, University of Hannover (Germany). Today, the software is continuously maintained and improved by the institute and numerous other contributors worldwide.
What's New
Version 0.9.11: N/A