Posted to News on 22nd Jul 2007, 10:09
Options enhance embedded real-time TCP-IP stack
Now available from Computer Solutions is a range of optional drivers and protocols to enhance the RT-IP portable embedded real-time TCP-IP stack from EBSnet. The new options provide wireless network support based on the IEEE 802.11 standard SMB (server messaging block), allowing embedded devices to share files and printers over LANs or WANs, and SSL (secure sockets layer) that encodes data to ensue security in embedded Internet communications.
The 802.11 driven network stack allows users to migrate Ethernet-based embedded network applications into the wireless environment using the same API. The driver supports Intersil's PRISM WLAN chipsets, and offers a range of configuration options including continuously aware mode, power save polling and wired equivalent privacy.
SMB (server messaging block) is the network protocol used by Microsoft Windows to share files and printers over a network, and runs on top of TCP-IP as an application-level protocol. Embedding real-time SMB in a system enables it to share resources such as a disk or printer on a network or to act as a printer or disk available to the network. It operates over any Windows PC network as well as Linux or Unix variants running Samba. The EBS RT-SMB system is designed from the bottom up for compact real-time systems, has a small footprint, and is robust and portable.
Authentication and encryption
The new SSL option offers 'industrial strength' authentication and encryption for embedded communication and application devices. It is based on the established OpenSSL protocol library with a restructured code base, additional documentation, and the inclusion of both Windows and embedded test and sample code. It adds security to a TCP-based communication protocol by authenticating users and encrypting sensitive data.
RT-IP, developed by EBSnet Inc of Groton, Massachusetts, USA, is a full TCP-IP network stack for embedded applications. It can be supplied ready configured for most of the common combinations of 32-bit CPUs and compilers. It provides all the more common protocols and many advanced ones, and allows new drivers and protocols to be implemented easily and quickly.
