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A microkernel is a minimal computer operating system kernel providing only basic operating system services (system calls), while other services (commonly provided by kernels) are provided by user-space programs called servers. Commonly, microkernels provide services such as address space management, thread management, and inter-process communication, but not networking or display for example.

Later extensions of this concept lead to new architectures such as nanokernels, exokernels and hardware abstraction layers.

Kernel bloat

Early operating system kernels were rather small, partly because computer memories were small. As the capability of computers grew, the number of devices the kernel had to control also grew. Early versions of UNIX had kernels of quite modest size, even though those kernels contained device drivers and file system managers. When address spaces increased from 16 to 32 bits, kernel design was no longer cramped by the hardware architecture, and kernels began to grow. (See History of Unix).

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E.R.I.K.A. - Microkernel RTOSs and set of integrated tools to develop embedded realtime applications, made to support all architectures used in power train controllers in automotive industry. Kernels have 2 main layers: Kernel Layer, Hardware Abstraction Layer, HAL. [Open Source, GPL]

ERIKA Enterprise - A commercial realtime system with minimal footprint that supports advanced scheduling mechanisms for stack size reduction on multiprocessor-on-a-chip systems.

Real-Time Mach NTT - Another version of Real-Time Mach, by NTT Laboratories. Contains RT-Mach kernel, FreeBSD 2.2.8 server, real-time shell, RT-Java, Hurd loader. Site has fine 'Getting Started' section: readme, release notes, installation, hardware, compatibility, troubles QA, contacts.

rtmk - Realtime microkernel: preemptive, fully re-entrant, multithreaded, SMP, continuations, full locking primitives; shares many ideas with Mach, developed by CMU in late 1980's, early 1990's, stopped in 1994. [Open Source, GPL]

Sphere SP - A modular RTOS suitable for embedded systems, scalable from tiny stand-alone microkernel up to full client/server OS, supports different processors.
Meta Description: [ Miray is the manufacturer of the embeddable RTOSes Sphere and µnOS and the software tools HDClone, HDShredder, PCISniffer, DiskSpy, DiskCheck and NetSniffer. ]

Spring Project - Realtime microkernel and integrated environment, designed and implemented to support/provide predictability, guarantees (on-line dynamic, atomic), end-to-end scheduling, resource reservations; supports call/task admission model; and multiprocessors.

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