Hierarchical Real-Time Multi-core Scheduling through Virtualization: A Survey

Abstract

In recent years mechatronic systems have evolved towards a new generation of cyber-physical systems. Technology has shifted from mechanical control systems towards electronic control systems, which introduces a fast growing complexity. The use of multi-core processors and virtualization techniques on embedded systems tackles this complexity by decoupling software from hardware. Virtualization introduces a hierarchical scheduling structure, where hard real-time behavior must be guaranteed within the level of guest operating system scheduler and at the level of the hypervisor scheduler. This paper gives the current state of the art of schedulability analysis methodologies for hierarchical scheduling techniques and its application in real-time hypervisors.