MontaVista Software

MontaVista Software operates as a provider of commercialized embedded Linux system software and development tools for corporations creating embedded systems. The company was established in 1999 by James "Jim" Ready, a recognized pioneer in real-time operating systems who had previously founded Ready Systems and created the VRTX real-time kernel. Ready's background in developing commercially viable real-time operating systems informed his vision to adapt Linux for the embedded market, a concept considered unconventional at the time.

The firm's business model is centered on selling subscriptions for its software, which includes documentation and technical support. This model allows clients to receive a commercial-grade, stable Linux platform, enabling them to focus on their core product development. Revenue is generated through these subscriptions and professional services, which encompass custom hardware enablement, system certification, and migration from legacy systems. In November 2009, Cavium Networks acquired MontaVista for approximately $50 million, comprising $16 million in cash and $34 million in stock, with MontaVista continuing to operate as a separate business unit. After Cavium's acquisition by Marvell, MontaVista once again operated as an independent entity.

MontaVista's product portfolio is designed to reduce the time and effort required for clients to bring commercial products to market. One of its primary offerings is Carrier Grade eXpress (CGX), an operating system based on Carrier Grade Linux (CGL) specifications. CGX is engineered for applications demanding high availability, security, and real-time performance, such as those in telecom, networking, industrial IoT, and medical markets. Another key product, MVShield, provides long-term support and maintenance for enterprise Linux distributions like CentOS and Rocky Linux, which are derived from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). This service includes managing security updates (CVEs) and bug fixes, allowing customers to maintain a stable baseline without forced upgrades. The company also offers the DevRocket IDE, an Eclipse-based set of plug-ins for application and system development.

The company serves a broad clientele of large technology manufacturers and enterprises. Its software has been deployed in devices across various sectors, including telecommunications, automotive electronics, consumer electronics, and medical devices. Notable customers have included Motorola, NEC, Panasonic, Sony, Philips, and Cisco, whose products, ranging from mobile phones to network switches, have run on MontaVista Linux. The company has been a significant contributor to the open-source community, with foundational work on making the Linux kernel a real-time operating system. MontaVista's solutions have been used in over 50 million devices globally.

Keywords: embedded Linux, real-time operating system, RTOS, Carrier Grade Linux, CGL, MVShield, CentOS support, Rocky Linux support, Yocto Project, commercial open source, embedded systems, software development tools, hardware enablement, professional services, telecom infrastructure, networking equipment, industrial IoT, medical devices, automotive electronics, James Ready