The emergence of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) with embedded processors and significant progress in their development tools have contributed to the realization of system-on-a-chip networked front-end systems [1] . Embedded processors are capable of running full-fledged Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOSs) and serving channels via Ethernet while high speed hardware functions, such as digital signal processing and high performance interfaces, run simultaneously in the FPGA logic [2] .

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... ite significant advantages of the system-on-a-chip implementation, engineers have shied away from designing such systems due to the perceived daunting task of integrating software to run a RTOS with custom hardware. However, advances in embedded development tools considerably reduce the effort required for software/hardware integration. This paper will describe the implementation and integration of software and hardware in an FPGA embedded processor system as illustrated by the design of a new control system module for the Advanced Light Source