QNX Introduces Security Acceleration on Freescale PowerQUICC® Processors

ORLANDO, Freescale Technology Forum (FTF), June 27, 2007 - Building on its secure protocol and partitioning technology, QNX Software Systems today announced support for the Freescale Integrated Security Acceleration Engine. Developers of next-generation network elements can now leverage hardware acceleration when using QNX’s comprehensive suite of preintegrated protocol security stacks. Running on the QNX® Neutrino® RTOS v6.3, this new addition leverages the powerful security engine on many PowerQUICC® processors and other host processors from Freescale to deliver highly optimized encryption and authentication.

The need for “self-defending networks” is rising dramatically. As speed and complexity in the network increases, equipment vendors are looking to extend computationally intensive encryption algorithms, such as 3DES and SHA-1, beyond the data plane to the control and management plane. To address this demand, QNX has introduced an integrated hardware-software solution that takes advantage of the outstanding security features on PowerQUICC processors. At the Freescale Technology Forum this week, QNX is showcasing the performance benefits achievable by offloading encryption algorithms, including DES, 3DES and AES, to hardware.

“The threats facing today’s network drive the need for pervasive security,” said Romain Saha, netcom segment manager at QNX. “By offering one of the most comprehensive selections of preintegrated protocols in the embedded industry, along with support for the embedded security capabilities on PowerQUICC processors and other host processors from Freescale, QNX provides networking vendors a compelling and highly flexible platform for building high-performance encryption and authentication into networking elements.”

More about the QNX Neutrino RTOS
Designed for high availability networking elements, the QNX Neutrino RTOS is built on a memory-protected microkernel architecture, providing dynamic upgrades, fine-grained fault isolation, and rapid error recovery. With native support for multi-core processors, QNX Neutrino offers massive scalability, allowing networking elements to handle increases in network traffic or services without the need for forklift upgrades.

To enhance system security, system designers can leverage QNX Secure Partitioning. This technology gives designers the flexibility to either lock down a set of applications in fixed partitions or to optimize CPU utilization through adaptive partitions. In fact, a multi-core design can employ the two techniques simultaneously, depending on the prioritization of each function. QNX partitioning technology guarantees CPU time for applications when the system is heavily loaded. It can also dynamically reassign unused resources from partitions not under full load to those that need additional processing time, providing a higher level of performance by increasing CPU utilization. This approach is far more efficient than traditional partitioning solutions, which waste memory and CPU cycles through their rigid and fixed resource allocations.

Demo at FTF
To catch the QNX demo in action at FTF, visit the QNX pedestals, numbers 1820 and 1821. FTF takes place June 25 to 28 in Orlando, Florida.

About QNX Software Systems
QNX Software Systems, a Harman International company (NYSE: HAR), is the industry leader in realtime, embedded OS technology. The component-based architectures of the QNX® Neutrino® RTOS and QNX Momentics® development suite together provide the industry’s most reliable and scalable framework for building innovative, high-performance embedded systems. Global leaders such as Cisco, DaimlerChrysler, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, and Siemens depend on QNX technology for network routers, medical instruments, vehicle telematics units, security and defense systems, industrial robotics, and other mission- or life-critical applications. Founded in 1980, QNX Software Systems is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and distributes products in over 100 countries worldwide. Visit www.qnx.com.

Editorial Contacts

Paul Leroux
QNX Software Systems
+1 613 591-0931
paull@qnx.com

QNX, Momentics, and Neutrino are trademarks of QNX Software Systems GmbH & Co. KG, registered in certain jurisdictions and are used under license. All other trademarks and trade names belong to their respective owners.