Using Java Hartstone benchmark in a real-time systems course

This paper shows how a Java benchmark program can be utilized in a real-time systems course to emphasize fundamental concepts and principles in hard real-time systems. Benchmark programs are used to compare the relative speeds of computers and language implementations. The Java Hartstone benchmark was used in our course project to test various Java virtual machines (JVMs) for their suitability of supporting hard real time applications. With the Java Hartstone benchmark, our experiment was carried out using all four benchmark experiments under controlled conditions to provide reliable analysis. The characteristics and expected behavior of the benchmark are described, actual results from the benchmark testing are presented and analyzed, and the lessons learned about using real-time benchmark programs in a real-time systems course are discussed.