Integrated Device Technology has released a Linux 2.6 offering that enables optimised performance and a host of value-added features, including improved multimedia capabilities such as Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) and digital video broadcasting. Highlighting its core competency in providing comprehensive hardware and software solutions, IDT is the first silicon vendor to deliver Linux 2.6. The offering includes the Linux 2.6 kernel, as well as application-specific development tools to ease the customer design process and accelerate overall time to market.

In addition to providing support for the full portfolio of Interprise processors, the IDT Linux 2.6 will also offer built-in support for PCI Express functionality and advanced feature set, enabling IDT to aggressively build a foundation of support for future product implementations, including its next-generation IP coprocessors and PCI Express switching and bridging solutions.

IDT provides comprehensive solutions for the networking infrastructure, and delivers silicon and a suite of software development tools.

This offering includes system-level architecture models, development code and optimisation tools, as well as the OS Linux kernels and application-specific software tools such as FreeS/WAN for the security market.

The Linux 2.6 kernel includes support for Journaled File System (JFS), a large number of USB devices, and several new requests for comments (RFCs) related to IP payload compression, IPv6 and Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP).

An additional upgrade of the Linux 2.6 kernel is its interactivity and responsiveness.

Specifically, the kernel is pre-emptible, allowing for mid-task interruptions so that other applications, such as security, can continue to run, even when other low-level or complicated tasks are occurring in the background.

Several aspects of the kernel have been completely redesigned, allowing developers to add devices such as disk drive controllers and wireless chipsets to their products with greater ease, significantly reducing time to market.