Is IMA compatible with multicore processors?

In principle, there is nothing preventing IMA (Integrated Modular Avionics, DO-297) systems from including multicore processors. However, IMA requires robust time partitioning to be in place, which is challenging when multicore interference could allow one partition on one core to interfere with timing properties of other partitions on other cores.

There are some concessions that may need to be made, in terms of requirements for resource usage and/or CPU utilization on new partitions to be accepted. IMA requires the ability to integrate new partitions without the need for the re-acceptance of other partitions, which is incompatible with A(M)C objective MCP_Software_1, which requires that the WCET is determined in the intended final configuration. A white paper on this topic is on a shortlist be added to future versions of MACH¹⁷⁸ Foundations.