Tornado and VxWorks

Tornado and VxWorks

Tornado-VxWorks Architecture
The Real-Time, Multitasking OS
Intertask Synchronization and Communication
The Project Facility
The Debugging Tools
The Networking Stack

What is Tornado?

Development and
Debugging

Real-Time,
Multitasking

Tools

OS

Networking

Tornado Architecture - HW Target

Host

Registry

Target

Tool

VxWorks
Tool

Target
Server

Target Agent

Tool

The tools, registry, and target server can run on different

hosts

Tornado Architecture - Simulator Target

Host
Registry
Tool

VxWorks
Target

Tool

Server

Target Agent

Tool

VxWorks runs as a process under the host OS

The simulator architecture provides no emulation of
instruction, native compilers are used

Tornado and VxWorks

Tornado Architecture
The Real-Time, Multitasking OS
Intertask Synchronization and Communication
The Project Facility
The Debugging Tools
The Networking Stack

What is a Task?

A task is a
Kernel object dynamically created at runtime
Logical entity consisting of a Task Control Block (TCB) data structure and

stack space
An independent thread of execution

A task is not a function

However, a special purpose function (typically designed with an endless loop)

is used for the tasks entry point

foo()
{

for (;;)
{
waitForData( );/* Until external event occurs */
processData( );
}

Functions execute within the context of tasks

The VxWorks routine taskSpawn() invokes the entry point function foo and

gives the task its thread of liveness

Creating a Task

Multitasking

Separate tasks are created to perform different system

requirements
For example, data acquisition and data computation

Each task alternates between ready and waiting

A task manager (the multitasking kernel) is therefore required

VxWorks allows a task to wait for

A specified time delay (Delay)
An event such as an interrupt (Pend)

Task States

Multitasking Kernel

The wind kernel is that part of VxWorks which directly

manages tasks
It allocates the CPU to tasks according to the VxWorks
scheduling algorithm
It uses Task Control Blocks (TCBs) to keep track of tasks
One per task
Declared as WIND_TCB data structure in taskLib.h
O.S. control information
state, task priority, delay timer,breakpoint list, error status,I/O

redirections
CPU Context Information
PC, SP, CPU registers, FPU registers

Kernel Operation

Scheduler

Multitasking Facilities

Tornado and VxWorks

Tornado-VxWorks Architecture
The Real-Time, Multitasking OS
Intertask Synchronization and Communication
The Project Facility
The Debugging Tools
The Networking Stack

Intertask synchronization

In a multitasking environment, facilities to achieve mutual

synchronization are needed
Producer-consumer architecture
Client-server architecture

In VxWorks, intertask synchronization is achieved using

Binary Semaphores
Message Queues
Events
Pipes

Some intertask synchronization facilities (queues and

pipes) also enable data transmission (intertask
communication)

Binary Semaphores

Binary semaphores exist in one of two states

Full (synchronizing event has occurred)
Empty (synchronizing event has not occurred)

Intertask synchronization is obtained by creating an

empty, binary semaphore for the synchronizing event
The task waiting for the event calls semTake( ) and blocks until

the semaphore is given

The task or interrupt service routine detecting the event calls

semGive( ), which unblocks the waiting task

Message Queues

Message queues are kernel objects used for passing

information between tasks
Message queues provide a FIFO buffer of messages
Task A

Task B

The task waiting for the synchronization message calls

msgQueueReceive( ) and blocks until a message is on
the queue
The task sending the synchronization message calls
msgQueueSend( ), which unblocks a pending task

Pipes

Pipes provide an alternative interface to the message

queue facility in the VxWorks I/O system
Tasks block
When they read from an empty pipe, until data is available
When they write to a full pipe, until there is space available

Similar to their use of message queues, interrupt service

routines can write to a pipe, but cannot read from it

Events

VxWorks events are means of synchronization between

Tasks and tasks
Interrupt service routines and tasks
VxWorks objects (binary semaphores and message queues) and

tasks

Only tasks can receive events, whereas tasks, interrupt

service routines or VxWorks objects can send events
Events are synchronous in nature
The receiving task pends while waiting for the events to be sent

Events allow a task to wait simultaneously on multiple

resources
For example, events can be sent by semaphores, message

queues and other tasks

Mutual Exclusion Semaphores

Mutually exclusive access to shared resources is

provided in VxWorks by mutual-exclusion semaphores
(mutexes)
VxWorks mutexes are designed to address issues
inherent to mutual exclusion, like
Priority inversion
Deletion safety
Recursive access to the shared resource
Semaphore ownership

Each critical section of the code has to be protected with

mutexes, by having a task
Take the mutex before accessing the code
Give the mutex after having accessed it

Counting Semaphores

Counting semaphores are similar to binary semaphores,

except that they keep track of the number of times the
semaphore is given or taken
Every time the semaphore is given, the count is incremented
Every time the semaphore is taken, the count is decremented
When the count reaches zero, a task that tries to take the

semaphore is blocked

Counting semaphores are useful for guarding multiple

copies of resources

Signals

Signals asynchronously alter the control flow of a task

An interrupt service routine or a task can send a signal to a task
The task which has received the signal will asynchronously

execute a signal handler

The signal handler executes in the receiving tasks context and

makes use of the tasks stack

If no signal handler is installed, the received signal is ignored

Since signals are asynchronous in nature, they are more

appropriate for error and exception handling than as a
general-purpose intertask communication mechanism

Tornado and VxWorks

Tornado-VxWorks Architecture
The Real-Time, Multitasking OS
Intertask Synchronization and Communication
The Project Facility
The Debugging Tools
The Networking Stack

Projects

The project facility allows one to manage two project

types
Bootable projects
To configure and build a VxWorks image
Downloadable projects
To build and download application modules to a running target

Projects can be grouped together in Workspaces

For each project more than one build specification can be
used

Bootable projects

Bootable projects are used to create a new, customized

VxWorks image
The system image consists of all desired system modules linked

together in a single, non-relocatable object module with no

unresolved external references
The image can be customized by adding or removing VxWorks

components from the Workspace GUI

A bootable project is created specifying

A BSP
A toolchain (GNU or Diab)

Downloadable Projects

Downloadable projects are used to create relocatable

object modules that can be downloaded and dynamically
linked to VxWorks
Module downloading and dynamic linking is performed by the

Target Server, which maintains a host-resident targets symbol

table

Downloadable projects
Are created by specifying a toolchain
GNU or Diab
Allow on the fly development
Modules can iteratively be downloaded, tested and debugged

without rebooting the target system

Project Facility Workspace Window

3 Workspace window views

Tornado and VxWorks

Tornado-VxWorks Architecture
The Real-Time, Multitasking OS
Intertask Synchronization and Communication
The Project Facility
The Debugging Tools
The Networking Stack

Host-Resident Debugging Tools

WindShell Command Shell

Provides command-line based, interactive access to all run-time

facilities

Browser
System-object viewer, graphical companion to WindShell

CrossWind Debugger
Remote source-level debugger
Extended version of the GNU source-level debugger (GDB)

WindView Software Logical Analyzer

Dynamic visualization tool

WindShell

WindShell allows one to

Access all VxWorks facilities by allowing calls to any VxWorks

routines
For example,
Spawning tasks
Creating VxWorks objects like semaphores, message

queues, and pipes

Download object modules to the target system
Perform assembly-level debugging
Create and examine variables symbolically
Examine and modify memory

WindShell

Browser

The browser monitors the state of a target

It shows detailed information on
Tasks
VxWorks objects (semaphores, message queues, ...)
Stack usage by all task on the target
Target CPU usage by task
Object-module structure and symbols
Interrupt vectors

The displays are snapshots, which can be updated

interactively
Alternatively, the Browser can be configured to automatically

update its display at specified intervals

Browser

CrossWind

CrossWind is a source level, graphical, debugging frontend using an enhanced version of GDB as its debugging
engine
It allows two debugging strategies
Task mode debugging
One task runs under debug control, while other tasks are not

affected
CrossWind can either
Attach to a running task, or
Start a new task under debugger control
System mode debugging
Whenever a task hits a breakpoint, the whole system stops
This is useful to debug tasks, interrupt service routines and
pre-kernel execution

CrossWind

WindView 2.2

WindView allows one to study dynamic interactions of all

the elements of complex, real-time systems

WindView 2.2

The WindView graph provides manageable access to

important application information
WindView allows
Scrolling the information forward and backward in time
Zooming in/out
Tailoring the display to only focus on the tasks and events of

interest
Setting locks on certain events and searching for their successive

occurrences

WindView 2.2 Example

Problem Solving with WindView 2.2

WindView allows to
Detect race conditions, deadlocks, CPU starvation and other

problems related to task interaction

Determine application responsiveness and performance
See cyclic patterns in application behavior
Conduct post-mortem analysis of failed systems
Detect memory leaks

Tornado and VxWorks

Tornado-VxWorks Architecture
The Real-Time, Multitasking OS
Intertask Synchronization and Communication
The Project Facility
The Debugging Tools
The Networking Stack

VxWorks Network Components

Target
NFS server
RPC

zbuf

netDrv
rlogin telnet

rsh

ftp

Application
programming
interface

Sockets

TCP

UDP
IP

MUX
Ethernet

PPP

Application layer

Transport layer
Network layer

Shared Memory
Network

Link layer

Shared-Memory Backplane Network

This allows multiple processors to communicate over their

common backplane as if they were communicating over a
network by using a standard network driver
host

Ethernet

vx3

vx2

vx1

Backplane (e.g. VME, PCI)

Shared-Memory
Network

MUX The Network Driver Interface

This interface decouples the link layer and the network

layer
The network protocol does not need to be modified when adding

new network dirvers

A new network protocol can be added without modifying the

existing MUX-based network driver interfaces

TCP/IP Protocol Suite

Based on the 4.4 BSD TCP/IP release, the TCP/IP

protocol suite comprises
UDP User Datagram Protocol
Low-overhead delivery mechanism of datagrams, used by

several applications like BOOTP, DHCP, DNS, TFTP, ...

TCP Transmission Control Protocol
Reliable, end-to-end transmission mechanism, used by Telnet,
Rlogin, FTP, ...
IP Internet Protocol
Hop-by-hop protocol to transmit datagrams
ICMP Internet Control Messagge Protocol
Reports unexpected events in data transfer, used by ping
IGMP Internet Group Management Protocol
Used to support multicasting

Sockets

Sockets allow processes to communicate within a single

CPU, across an Ethernet, across a backplane or across
any connected combination of networks
VxWorks provides
BSD Sockets
Datagram Sockets (UDP)
Stream Sockets (TCP)
Raw Sockets
Zbuf Sockets
An alternative set of sockets based on a data abstraction called

zbuf, zero-copy buffer

Applications can read and write BSD sockets without copying

data between application buffers and network buffers

Remote Access Applications

RSH Remote Command Execution

Allows a VxWorks application to run commands on a remote

system and receive the command results on standard output and

error over socket connection
Only the client side implementation is provided
A server running on the remote system is assumed

FTP File Transfer Protocol

Both client and server applications are provided

NFS Network File System

Server component
A target running VxWorks act as a file server for any system

that runs an NFS client

Client component
A target running VxWorks can mount a remote file system

Remote Access Applications (contd)

TFTP Trivial File Transfer Protocol

Client and Server applications are provided
Unlike FTP or RSH, TFTP does not require any authentication

Rlogin Remote Login

On a VxWorks terminal, rlogin( ) gives users the ability to log in to

remote systems on the network

The remote login daemon, rlogind( ), allows remote users to log in
to VxWorks

Telnet
The server application only is provided

RPC Remote procedure call

RPC implements a client-server model of task interaction
A client requests a remote service from a server and waits for a

reply

DNS and SNTP

DNS Domain Name System

DNS is a distributed database used by TCP/IP applications that

maps hostnames to IP addresses

SNTP Simple Network Time Protocol

Client and server components are provided
The client is normally used to maintain its system internal clock

accuracy based on time values reported by one or more

servers
The server provides time information to other systems

BOOTP Bootstrap Protocol

The BOOTP server

Retrieves boot information from the Bootp Database (bootptab)
Supplies an Internet host with an IP address and related

configuration information
The IP address is permanently assigned

The BOOTP client

Uses broadcasts to discover an appropriate server
Lets a target retrieve a set of boot parameters like an IP address

and a filename of the bootable image

Both client and server components are provided

BOOTP is implemented on top of UDP

DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration

Protocol

Like BOOTP, DHCP allows the permanent allocation of

configuration parameters to specific clients
However, DHCP also supports the assignment of a
network address for a finite lease period
VxWorks includes a DHCP client, server, and relay agent
The client can retrieve one or more sets of configuration
parameters from either a DHCP or BOOTP server
The server can process both BOOTP and DHCP
messages
The DHCP relay agent provides forwarding of DHCP and
BOOTP messages across subnet boundaries

IP Routing

If the destination is directly connected to the sender (e.g.,

a point-to-point link) or on a shared network (e.g.,
Ethernet), then IP datagrams are sent directly to the
destination
Otherwise, the sender sends the IP datagrams to a default router,

and lets the router deliver them to destination

Each router maintains a routing table, which is used to

deliver the IP datagrams to either
A local IP address, for a direct route, or
The next-hop router IP address, for an indirect route

Dynamic Routing Protocols

Dynamic routing occurs when routers talk to adjacent

routers, informing each other of what network each router
is connected to
Entries in the routing tables change dynamically as routes
change over time
The Routing Information Protocol (RIP) is provided with
VxWorks
This is intended for small to medium-sized networks
The longest path must be less than 16 hops
It uses a distance-vector protocol
It contains a vector of distances as the hop count
RIP version 1 and 2 are supported

Summary

Tornados three components

VxWorks, real-time, multitasking operating system
Priority-based, preemptive scheduling algorithm
Intertask synchronization and communication services
Project facility and debugging tools
Bootable and downloadable projects
Networking
Connects hosts and targets during development and

debugging
TCP/IP stack
Rich set of network applications and protocols

References

Manuals available either in the Tornado on-line help, or

via the Wind River Bookstore at: www.windriver
.com/windsurf/bookstore
Tornado Users Guide
WindView Users Guide and Users Reference
VxWorks Programmers Guide
VxWorks OS Libraries
VxWorks Network Programmers Guide