Feature Updates and Changelog for NI Linux Real-Time

[Sanjay_C.]

Notice: Further updates have been moved to a changelog within our NI Linux Real-Time GitHub repository. Check the latest release branches for a corresponding list of changes. For example: https://github.com/ni/nilrt/blob/nilrt/22.5/hardknott/CHANGELOG.md

NI Linux Real-Time 2020

1. Update on ARMv7-a and Intel x86_64
   • Kernel updated to 4.14.146-rt67
   • No version updates to glibc, GCC, OpenSSL, or OpenEmbedded Sumo
2. NI Source Repository
• Kernel update posted on github.com/ni

NI Linux Real-Time 2019

1. OpenEmbedded Update on ARMv7-a and Intel x86_64
   • Kernel updated to 4.14.87-rt49
   • OpenEmbedded/Yocto upgraded to Sumo (2.5)
   • GCC updated to 7.3.0, installable to a NI Linux RT target from opkg
   • OpenSSL updated to 1.0.2o
   • glibc remains at 2.24
   • Default python runtime upgraded from 2.7 to 3.5
   • (x86_64) Added support for some PXIe controller models (PXIe-8880, PXIe-8861, PXIe-8840 QC)
   • (x86_64) Added DKMS support for supported PXIe and SystemLink supported controllers
2. NI Source Repository
   • Kernel update posted on github.com/ni

NI Linux Real-Time 2018

1. OpenEmbedded Update on ARM and Intel x86_64
   • Kernel updated to 4.9.47-rt37
   • glibc updated to version 2.24
   • GCC updated to version 6.3, installable to a NI Linux RT target from opkg
   • OpenSSL updated to version 1.0.2k
   • OpenEmbedded/Yocto upgraded to Pyro (2.3)
2. NI Source Repository
   • Kernel update posted on github.com/ni
     
3. NI Package Repository
   • added tools for interacting with tpm2, available in opkg as "tpm2-tools"

NI Linux Real-Time 2017:

1. OpenEmbedded Update on ARM and Intel x86_64
   • Kernel updated to 4.6.7-rt14 for both architectures

   • OpenEmbedded/Yocto updated to Krogoth (2.1)

   • GCC updated to version 5.3

   • glibc updated to version 2.23 

   • openssl updated to 1.0.2.h
2. NI Source Repository
   • Kernel update posted on github.com/ni
     
3. NI Package Repository-notable package updates (http://download.ni.com/ni-linux-rt/)
   • salt, an open source tool for remote system management, underlying our SystemLink Early Access Release product (https://saltstack.com/salt-open-source/)

   • nodejs updated to v4.4.3 (from 0.12.2 in 2016)

   • bluez5 updated to v5.4.2 (from 5.28 in 2016)

NI Linux Real-Time 2016:

1. OpenEmbedded/Yocto Update on ARM and Intel x86_64
   • Kernel updated to 4.1 for both architectures
   • Yocto updated to Fido 1.8 release
   • Core packages
     • glibc 2.20 → glibc 2.21
     • GCC 4.8 → 4.9
       
     • openssl  → 1.0.2d
2. NI Source Repository
   • Kernel update posted on github.com/ni
3. NI Package Repository-notable new packages (http://download.ni.com/ni-linux-rt/)
   • Language support
     • open jdk
     • Java VM
     • mono
       
   • VNC capabilities
     • libvncserver
     • x11vnc
   • Wireless prototyping
     
     • gnuradio
     • wireless-tools
       
   • Other
     • ptpd
     • bluez5
     • opencv 3.0
       

NI Linux Real-Time 2015:

1. OpenEmbedded Update on ARM and Intel x86_64
   • Kernel updated to 3.14 for both architectures
   • Networking improvements
     • We've switched away from the Xilinx-provided xemacps driver onto the Cadence macb driver for the ethernet controller, as it has seen more runtime in more platforms, and is supported by the upstream Linux kernel community
   • eglibc 2.17 → glibc 2.20
   • libssl 1.0.1e → 1.0.1m
   • python 2.7.3 → 2.7.9
   • GCC 4.7 → 4.8
2. NI Source Repository
   • Kernel update posted on github.com/ni
3. NI Package Repository-notable new packages (http://download.ni.com/ni-linux-rt/)
   • Web:
     • Servers like apache2 as well as other light-weight webservers (lighttpd, nginx, cherokee, hiawatha, monkey, nostromo)
     • Useful tools to work with web-based workflows and existing web applications like php, fcgi (fast cgi), json-c, nodejs, improved python support (jinja2, mako, cloudeebus, autobahn, etc.), ruby
   • Development:
     • Improved python support (numpy, pycrypto, matplotlib, slip-dbus, etc.)
     • Requested libraries/applications (libopencv/opencv, libarchive, libcap, libcgroup, libsensor/lmsensor)
     • Improved tools for working with existing text-based projects (cmake, cgdb)
   • Security:
     • SELinux support packages (checkpolicy, sepolgen, etc.)- Reference policy and set-up instructions posted to ni/ni-refpolicy · GitHub.
     • Smartcard/crypto USB hardware support (ccid, cryptodev, pcsc)
     • Audit/auditd support daemon
4. SysLog viewer
   • To provide a browser-based way to read syslog files, there is now a 'System Log Viewer' tab in the NI Web-Based Configuration and Monitoring page for NI Linux RT Targets. LabVIEW 2015 also provides an API to write to SysLog, allowing system administrators a way to output debugging information, browse the log, and download entire logs remotely without the console or Linux domain expertise.

NI Linux Real-Time 2014:

1. Support for the Intel x86_x64 architecture
   • Enables support of new targets; one example is the Performance CompactRIO
   • x86_x64 devices rely on an updated LTSI 3.10 based kernel which includes updates to PREEMPT_RT. Note that ARM devices still use the 3.2 based kernel.
   • x86_x64 devices use the ext4 journaling file system
   • x86_x64 devices use a UEFI BIOS
   • x86_x64 devices use GRUB 2 as the bootloader, as opposed to U-Boot on ARM devices
   • x86_x64 devices support an XFCE desktop environment, which enables display and HMI use cases through a monitor directly cabled to the device.
2. OpenEmbedded Update on ARM targets
   • Applies to Zynq based devices: cRIO-9068, myRIO, etc.
   • New user mode libraries. Users will no longer run into conflicts about improper versions of core libraries not being present when trying to load other applications/packages from the Linux community onto their target. Notably, the GCC package was updated as a part of this feature to GCC 4.7
3. NI Package Repository
   • Users can now get Linux packages from NI, instead of relying on the un-maintained Angstrom repositories. The update to the NI hosted package repository is automatically done when users upgrade the software on their devices to 2014. The repository can be manually browsed at download.ni.com/ni-linux-rt
4. NI Source Repository
   • Users can now easily pull down the NI Linux RT kernel. Useful and convenient for advanced users intending to make customizations to the distribution. Available at github.com/ni
5. Update to udev from mdev
   • Updated the device manager from mdev to udev. udev enables dynamic device enumeration and configuration which allows for easier device management and hotplug functionality
6. On Target Module Versioning
   • Eliminates rebuilding kernel modules for all kernel updates, and allows kernel modules built against older versions of the kernel to be more easily supported on updated kernels
7. Secure Digital High Capacity Support
   • Available on Performance CompactRIO and NI System on Module devices with an SD Card slot interface
8. Security
   • Released with the newest OpenSSL package (among other packages) to avoid Heartbleed and other vulnerabilities altogether. No NI products were ever affected by Heartbleed as a result.
9. WebDAV File Browser
   • Enables secure, browser based authenticated access to the filesystem on all NI embedded devices

NI Linux Real-Time 2013:

1. Initial release of NI Linux Real-Time
   • Hardware Support for ARM devices: (Zynq based CompactRIO-9068 and myRIO targets)

[metux]

NI Linux Real-Time 2016:

1. OpenEmbedded/Yocto Update on ARM and Intel x86_64
   • Kernel updated to 4.1 for both architectures
   • Yocto updated to Fido 1.8 release
   • Core packages
     • glibc 2.20 → glibc 2.21
     • GCC 4.8 → 4.9
       
     • openssl → 1.0.2d

Already old and outdated in 2016 ...

1. NI Source Repository
   • Kernel update posted on github.com/ni

Still lacking the proprietary drivers (imagine that !!!) for talking to the modules.

Therefore, pretty useless for anything but child toys.

[metux]

What about driver source code ?