DZone
Thanks for visiting DZone today,
Edit Profile
  • Manage Email Subscriptions
  • How to Post to DZone
  • Article Submission Guidelines
Sign Out View Profile
  • Post an Article
  • Manage My Drafts
Over 2 million developers have joined DZone.
Log In / Join
Refcards Trend Reports
Events Video Library
Refcards
Trend Reports

Events

View Events Video Library

Zones

Culture and Methodologies Agile Career Development Methodologies Team Management
Data Engineering AI/ML Big Data Data Databases IoT
Software Design and Architecture Cloud Architecture Containers Integration Microservices Performance Security
Coding Frameworks Java JavaScript Languages Tools
Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance Deployment DevOps and CI/CD Maintenance Monitoring and Observability Testing, Tools, and Frameworks
Culture and Methodologies
Agile Career Development Methodologies Team Management
Data Engineering
AI/ML Big Data Data Databases IoT
Software Design and Architecture
Cloud Architecture Containers Integration Microservices Performance Security
Coding
Frameworks Java JavaScript Languages Tools
Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance
Deployment DevOps and CI/CD Maintenance Monitoring and Observability Testing, Tools, and Frameworks

The software you build is only as secure as the code that powers it. Learn how malicious code creeps into your software supply chain.

Apache Cassandra combines the benefits of major NoSQL databases to support data management needs not covered by traditional RDBMS vendors.

Generative AI has transformed nearly every industry. How can you leverage GenAI to improve your productivity and efficiency?

Modernize your data layer. Learn how to design cloud-native database architectures to meet the evolving demands of AI and GenAI workloads.

Related

  • Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) in Embedded Systems
  • Real-Time Remediation Solutions in Device Management Using Azure IoT Hub
  • Five Arguments for Why Microsoft Azure Is the Best Option for Running Industrial IoT Solutions
  • Data Mining in IoT: From Sensors to Insights

Trending

  • The Human Side of Logs: What Unstructured Data Is Trying to Tell You
  • Four Essential Tips for Building a Robust REST API in Java
  • Mastering Advanced Traffic Management in Multi-Cloud Kubernetes: Scaling With Multiple Istio Ingress Gateways
  • Ensuring Configuration Consistency Across Global Data Centers
  1. DZone
  2. Data Engineering
  3. IoT
  4. Which Is Better for IoT: Azure RTOS or FreeRTOS?

Which Is Better for IoT: Azure RTOS or FreeRTOS?

IoT needs speed, reliability, and energy efficiency that isn’t guaranteed in a desktop environment. Let's look at how to choose the right real-time operating system.

By 
Carsten Rhod Gregersen user avatar
Carsten Rhod Gregersen
·
May. 19, 23 · Analysis
Likes (1)
Comment
Save
Tweet
Share
8.6K Views

Join the DZone community and get the full member experience.

Join For Free

Every time an IoT developer starts thinking about choosing an operating system for a new device, there is a myriad of options available to muddy the waters. Many are from well-known providers, like FreeRTOS from Amazon and Azure RTOS from Microsoft, or Zephyr RTOS from Linux, and they each have several features that are aimed at helping IoT developers make the most of their IoT device designs. 

So how do you know which real-time operating system (RTOS) to choose? Let’s start by looking at the roles of RTOS within IoT. Then, we’ll discuss how FreeRTOS and Azure RTOS can each fulfill those roles in different ways. 

What Is an RTOS in IoT?

The world of IoT needs a high level of speed, reliability, and energy efficiency that isn’t guaranteed in a desktop computing environment. So, whereas a typical desktop would use a full OS to run multiple applications and perform as many functions as necessary at any given time, IoT devices need a faster, simpler, and more efficient option. The answer is a real-time operating system.

Some of the main features of an RTOS are: 

  • Only performs one task at a given time
  • Responds in near real-time to commands
  • Requires little processing power

These features make an RTOS ideal for a system on a small IoT device, like a smartwatch or a proximity sensor in a smart security system. 

However, an RTOS presents certain challenges. This is because IoT operating systems are embedded. Unlike on your personal computer, the system doesn’t have an easy screen and user interface for customization.

Since the process of adding software to an embedded system can be complex, the best RTOS providers supply an easy-to-use interface for simpler interaction with these systems. This is the goal of both FreeRTOS and Azure RTOS. 

What Are the Differences Between FreeRTOS vs. Azure RTOS?

Let’s start with a brief overview of each option. FreeRTOS was developed by Amazon to bring the concept of a lightweight RTOS to a whole new level with a greatly simplified system and limited feature set. That means FreeRTOS has pretty much the lowest amount of energy usage possible, and as a result, it’s great for low-power IoT use cases. 

Take, for example, an IoT system that has sensors spread across a wide area to collect weather data. Such an application would require thousands of sensors, and the last thing anyone would want would be to have to constantly change thousands of batteries. Reduced energy consumption and green functionality are important requirements that FreeRTOS can fulfill in a system like that. 

While the feature-light and energy-light functionality of FreeRTOS has many advantages, including ease of use, low cost, and a low barrier of entry, there are also disadvantages. The lack of a comprehensive feature set makes FreeRTOS somewhat inflexible. Rather than applying to virtually any IoT use case, FreeRTOS is best suited for highly specific applications that require low computing power and don’t require a high degree of customization. Still, FreeRTOS is easy to use for newcomers to IoT development. 

By contrast, Azure RTOS from Microsoft has an incredibly rich feature set. More than just a simple operating system, Azure RTOS is a fully embedded development suite. The main tools of the suite include:

  • ThreadX, which is the actual name of the RTOS
  • FileX, which is a file allocation table designed for fast and predictable performance
  • GUIX Studio, which is a graphical user interface design environment
  • TraceX, a Windows-based analysis tool that provides a graphical visualization of system events
  • NetX, an implementation of TCP/IP protocol standards for embedded applications

Azure RTOS also prioritizes interoperability, flexibility, and high performance, making it ideal for more processing-intensive IoT use cases. However, the variety of features and high customizability create a tougher learning curve for developers. 

Finally, both Threadx and FreeRTOS are open-source and free to use, and both are easy to integrate with any cloud platform, like AWS or Azure Cloud. 

Should I Choose Azure RTOS or Freertos for My IoT Needs?

Both of these RTOS options are incredibly popular. In fact, FreeRTOS gets downloaded around once every three minutes, and Azure RTOS has been used for over 10 billion devices around the world. You only need to consider which is ideal for your particular use case. 

FreeRTOS is lightweight and simple to use for new developers. It’s best for IoT devices that require little data processing power and where latency isn’t a huge issue. By contrast, Azure RTOS is best for more experienced developers who require a high degree of customizability. It’s also good for use cases that require a little more processing power or highly specific functionality. 

Overcoming the Downsides of RTOS in IoT

There are ways to overcome some of the downsides of each of these RTOS options and expand the number of possible use cases. For example, FreeRTOS may experience latency due to more limited processing capabilities. When integrated with AWS, FreeRTOS can also have security issues, and the same goes for Threadx when integrated with Azure Cloud. These security issues stem from the fact that communication sent from the IoT device to the client device generally has to pass through the cloud, meaning the data can potentially be intercepted by third parties. That detour through the cloud also increases latency, especially in a low processing power environment. 

One way around this is by enabling peer-to-peer communication between the IoT device and the client device. Such a solution ensures that all data remains on the client device, is encrypted end-to-end, and carries low latency. And because the whole point of an RTOS is to achieve as close to a real-time response as possible, this low latency is extremely important in many IoT applications. 

When it comes to FreeRTOS vs. Azure RTOS, the truth is that both are solid options for embedded systems. While one might be more suited to certain IoT use cases than the other, they’re both predictable, well-documented, and high quality. So, either way you go, you can be sure you’ll have a dependable RTOS for your IoT device.

FreeRTOS IoT azure Real-time operating system

Published at DZone with permission of Carsten Rhod Gregersen. See the original article here.

Opinions expressed by DZone contributors are their own.

Related

  • Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) in Embedded Systems
  • Real-Time Remediation Solutions in Device Management Using Azure IoT Hub
  • Five Arguments for Why Microsoft Azure Is the Best Option for Running Industrial IoT Solutions
  • Data Mining in IoT: From Sensors to Insights

Partner Resources

×

Comments

The likes didn't load as expected. Please refresh the page and try again.

ABOUT US

  • About DZone
  • Support and feedback
  • Community research
  • Sitemap

ADVERTISE

  • Advertise with DZone

CONTRIBUTE ON DZONE

  • Article Submission Guidelines
  • Become a Contributor
  • Core Program
  • Visit the Writers' Zone

LEGAL

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

CONTACT US

  • 3343 Perimeter Hill Drive
  • Suite 100
  • Nashville, TN 37211
  • support@dzone.com

Let's be friends: