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Martin Stein c70fed29f7 os/timer: interpolate time via timestamps Previously, the Genode::Timer::curr_time always used the Timer_session::elapsed_ms RPC as back end. Now, Genode::Timer reads this remote time only in a periodic fashion independently from the calls to Genode::Timer::curr_time. If now one calls Genode::Timer::curr_time, the function takes the last read remote time value and adapts it using the timestamp difference since the remote-time read. The conversion factor from timestamps to time is estimated on every remote-time read using the last read remote-time value and the timestamp difference since the last remote time read. This commit also re-works the timeout test. The test now has two stages. In the first stage, it tests fast polling of the Genode::Timer::curr_time. This stage checks the error between locally interpolated and timer-driver time as well as wether the locally interpolated time is monotone and sufficiently homogeneous. In the second stage several periodic and one-shot timeouts are scheduled at once. This stage checks if the timeouts trigger sufficiently precise. This commit adds the new Kernel::time syscall to base-hw. The syscall is solely used by the Genode::Timer on base-hw as substitute for the timestamp. This is because on ARM, the timestamp function uses the ARM performance counter that stops counting when the WFI (wait for interrupt) instruction is active. This instruction, however is used by the base-hw idle contexts that get active when no user thread needs to be scheduled. Thus, the ARM performance counter is not a good choice for time interpolation and we use the kernel internal time instead. With this commit, the timeout library becomes a basic library. That means that it is linked against the LDSO which then provides it to the program it serves. Furthermore, you can't use the timeout library anymore without the LDSO because through the kernel-dependent LDSO make-files we can achieve a kernel-dependent timeout implementation. This commit introduces a structured Duration type that shall successively replace the use of Microseconds, Milliseconds, and integer types for duration values. Open issues: * The timeout test fails on Raspberry PI because of precision errors in the first stage. However, this does not render the framework unusable in general on the RPI but merely is an issue when speaking of microseconds precision. * If we run on ARM with another Kernel than HW the timestamp speed may continuously vary from almost 0 up to CPU speed. The Timer, however, only uses interpolation if the timestamp speed remained stable (12.5% tolerance) for at least 3 observation periods. Currently, one period is 100ms, so its 300ms. As long as this is not the case, Timer_session::elapsed_ms is called instead. Anyway, it might happen that the CPU load was stable for some time so interpolation becomes active and now the timestamp speed drops. In the worst case, we would now have 100ms of slowed down time. The bad thing about it would be, that this also affects the timeout of the period. Thus, it might "freeze" the local time for more than 100ms. On the other hand, if the timestamp speed suddenly raises after some stable time, interpolated time can get too fast. This would shorten the period but nonetheless may result in drifting away into the far future. Now we would have the problem that we can't deliver the real time anymore until it has caught up because the output of Timer::curr_time shall be monotone. So, effectively local time might "freeze" again for more than 100ms. It would be a solution to not use the Trace::timestamp on ARM w/o HW but a function whose return value causes the Timer to never use interpolation because of its stability policy. Fixes #2400		2017-05-31 13:16:11 +02:00
doc	News item about Google Summer of Code	2017-03-15 12:24:41 +01:00
repos	os/timer: interpolate time via timestamps	2017-05-31 13:16:11 +02:00
tool	Test for part_blk with GPT	2017-05-31 13:16:11 +02:00
.gitignore	Tool for assembling API/source/binary archives	2017-05-31 13:15:56 +02:00
LICENSE	License update to AGPLv3	2017-02-28 12:59:28 +01:00
README	README update	2016-08-30 17:24:00 +02:00
VERSION	version: 17.02	2017-02-28 14:19:27 +01:00

README

                      =================================
                      Genode Operating System Framework
                      =================================


This is the source tree of the reference implementation of the Genode OS
architecture. For a general overview about the architecture, please refer to
the project's official website:

:Official project website for the Genode OS Framework:

  [https://genode.org/documentation/general-overview]

The current implementation can be compiled for 8 different kernels: Linux,
L4ka::Pistachio, L4/Fiasco, OKL4, NOVA, Fiasco.OC, seL4, and a custom
kernel for running Genode directly on ARM-based hardware. Whereas the Linux
version serves us as development vehicle and enables us to rapidly develop the
generic parts of the system, the actual target platforms of the framework are
microkernels. There is no "perfect" microkernel - and neither should there be
one. If a microkernel pretended to be fit for all use cases, it wouldn't be
"micro". Hence, all microkernels differ in terms of their respective features,
complexity, and supported hardware architectures.

Genode allows the use of each of the kernels listed above with a rich set of
device drivers, protocol stacks, libraries, and applications in a uniform way.
For developers, the framework provides an easy way to target multiple different
kernels instead of tying the development to a particular kernel technology. For
kernel developers, Genode contributes advanced workloads, stress-testing their
kernel, and enabling a variety of application use cases that would not be
possible otherwise. For users and system integrators, it enables the choice of
the kernel that fits best with the requirements at hand for the particular
usage scenario.


Documentation
#############

The primary documentation is the book "Genode Foundations", which is available
on the front page of Genode website:

:Download the book "Genode Foundations":

  [https://genode.org]

The book describes Genode in a holistic and comprehensive way. It equips you
with a thorough understanding of the architecture, assists developers with the
explanation of the development environment and system configuration, and
provides a look under the hood of the framework. Furthermore, it contains the
specification of the framework's programming interface.

The project has a quarterly release cycle. Each version is accompanied with
detailed release documentation, which is available at the documentation
section of the project website:

:Release documentation:

  [https://genode.org/documentation/release-notes/]


Directory overview
##################

The source tree is composed of the following subdirectories:

:'doc':

  This directory contains general documentation. Please consider the following
  document for a quick guide to get started with the framework:

  ! doc/getting_started.txt

  If you are curious about the ready-to-use components that come with the
  framework, please review the components overview:

  ! doc/components.txt

:'repos':

  This directory contains the so-called source-code repositories of Genode.
  Please refer to the README file in the 'repos' directory to learn more
  about the roles of the individual repositories.

:'tool':

  Source-code management tools and scripts. Please refer to the README file
  contained in the directory.


Additional community-maintained components
##########################################

The components found within the main source tree are complemented by a growing
library of additional software, which can be seamlessly integrated into Genode
system scenarios.

:Genode-world repository:

  [https://github.com/genodelabs/genode-world]


Contact
#######

The best way to get in touch with Genode developers and users is the project's
mailing list. Please feel welcome to join in!

:Genode Mailing Lists:

  [https://genode.org/community/mailing-lists]


Commercial support
##################

The driving force behind the Genode OS Framework is the German company Genode
Labs. The company offers commercial licensing, trainings, support, and
contracted development work:

:Genode Labs website:

  [https://www.genode-labs.com]