Abstract

Windows NT is a general-purpose operating system (OS) targeted mainly for workstation use. The architecture of the OS is designed to provide easy access from user applications to kernel services and to offer a predictable operation. The selected architecture is recognised applicable also in systems with embedded nature. The suitability of the Windows NT in the network related control systems is studied. The evaluation of the OS is done with a control system consisting of custom hardware and software implemented with performance monitoring capabilities. According to the evaluation results Windows NT cannot be considered as an alternative for controlling systems with strict real-time requirements. However, the priority based scheduling enables predictable operation also in time-critical systems.