Wind River launches comprehensive cloud suite

Cloud computing conceptEmbedded software vendor Wind River has launched what it describes as a ‘comprehensive cloud suite’ for multi-architecture operating systems.

The new Wind River range includes the Helix Cloud, Rocket and Pulsar Linux offerings which are designed to communicate across multiple devices, gateways and microcontroller units (MCUs).

The Helix Cloud is a family of software-as-a-service (SaaS) products including development tools, virtual labs and deployed devices. Their joint mission is to simplify and automate the building and managing of IoT technologies at every stage of the life cycle of a system, from design to decommissioning. The Helix Lab Cloud is a virtual hardware lab for simulating and testing IoT devices and complex systems. Meanwhile, the Device Cloud is designed for managing IoT devices and their data.

Wind River claims it can simplify edge-to-cloud development with a single operating system controlling all dialogue between the device and the cloud. Wind River’s Rocket is described as a tiny-footprint commercial-grade quality real-time operating system that’s directly connected to its Helix Cloud. This, it claims, creates the support for multiple architectures and applications running on the type of 32-bit MCUs used in small-footprint sensor hubs, wearables and edge devices.

Pulsar Linux is a small-footprint commercial-grade binary Linux OS based on the Wind River Linux distribution that connects directly to the Helix Cloud to run on applications scaling from 32-bit MCUs to 64-bit CPUs.

The platform independent Rocket and Pulsar Linux support Intel and ARM architectures and a range of mainstream commercial boards, so that apps can run on any device and the developer can create an open collaborative ecosystem.

Wind River partners include Advantech, Freescale, HCL Technologies, Texas Instruments and Xilinx. It has also launched a new developer programme for ISVs, OEMs, systems integrators, ODMs and cloud operators.