RTOS system adds Microsoft exFAT support

Article By : Express Logic

With support for exFAT, FileX helps to maximise the reliability and fault tolerance of flash memory in a variety of media devices.

Real-time operating systems provider Express Logic's file management system, FileX, now supports the Microsoft Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT) file system.

With support for exFAT, FileX helps to maximise the reliability and fault tolerance of flash memory in a variety of media devices from flat-panel TVs and media centres to compact flash and USB pen drives. For systems that also need wear-levelling capabilities, Express Logic complements FileX with LevelX, a flash wear-levelling software that extends the longevity of storage devices.

With the onslaught of billions of disparate “things” in the Internet of Things, a plethora of data is being generated. The management and storage of such data requires file management systems capable of managing many file types, sizes, and formats while ensuring dependable retrieval and storage. FileX does this with sensitivity to different levels of criticality and destinations. Moreover, its implementation of exFAT ensures that overhead, memory, and power requirements are kept to a minimum.

“The growth and diversity of data generated introduces many challenges for embedded developers,” said William E. Lamie, CEO of Express Logic, Inc. “The FileX file system, coupled with fault tolerance and LevelX flash wear leveling, delivers all the essential tools developers need to easily build reliable and durable flash file systems.”

Always-on devices often require the flow of large amounts of data. File management must be efficient. With its support for exFAT, FileX now manages individual data files larger than 4GB—an important step forward for applications such as HD video common in medical, business, and consumer technology and that need to stream large files.

In addition, FileX improves dependability through journaling for fault recovery. By tracking uncommitted file-system changes and recording the intentions or changes within the journal data structure, FileX fully supports fault-tolerant systems. FileX improves system reliability and prevents data corruption by enabling the recovery of files in the case of a system crash or power failure. Such data management is critical for always-on, mission-critical devices.

Express Logic LevelX delivers NAND and NOR flash wear levelling through an algorithm that reuses blocks of flash memory on lowest erase count. The algorithm also tracks the number of obsolete mappings to eliminate overhead when moving and mapping new entries. For applications involving multiple instances of NAND and/or NOR flash, developers can use separate instances.

FileX is available starting at ₹6.42 lakh ($9,500). LevelX can be used stand-alone or with FileX and can be purchased for ₹4.05 lakh ($6,000). Devices using FileX for exFAT and FAT32 must obtain the necessary run-time license from Microsoft.