========================================= Genode Labs Newsletter - April / May 2013 ========================================= Content 1. Genode OS Framework 13.05 released 2. Join us at Genode's Hack'n Hike event 3. Genode as a hybrid simulation environment for hardware design 1. Genode OS Framework 13.05 released ------------------------------------- We are happy to announce the release of Genode version 13.05, which comes with new tools for testing and benchmarking including a suite of networking benchmarks, added device drivers for the Samsung Exynos 5 and Freescale i.MX SoCs, and new components for the operation of headless systems. At present, we recognize two challenges, which amplify each other. On the one hand, our user base and the user's expectations are steadily growing. On the other hand, we see the number of Genode base platforms - in particular the variety of ARM-based SoCs - to become more and more diverse. This observation calls for quality- assurance measures that go beyond unit testing and Qemu-based integration tests: Genode's base functionality, including device drivers, need to be continuously tested and measured on real hardware in order to let Genode scale well. To automate this task, version 13.05 introduces extensive tooling support including a suite of networking benchmarks that operates on different levels of the networking stack. At Genode Labs, those tools empower us to implement largely automatic tests and benchmarks across multiple hardware platforms. So our users can enjoy building upon Genode without being afraid of fundamental regressions. Speaking of broadening the hardware support, the new version enhances the existing base of device drivers for ARM-based SoCs with support for SATA, USB-3, eMMC, and networking on Samsung Exynos 5, as well as support for LCD display and touch-screen devices on Freescale i.MX SoCs. Furthermore, it features basic support for the Broadcom BCM2835 SoC, which is the heart of the popular Raspberry Pi platform. Apart from the extended pool of device drivers, there is a new facility for capturing log data to files stored on a file system, a command-line based user interface for managing Genode subsystems, and the addition of Linux/ARM as Genode base platform. The full story behind these and many more changes is detailed in the release notes of version 13.05: http:/documentation/release-notes/13.05 2. Join us at Genode's Hack'n Hike event ---------------------------------------- In spring of 2012, we held the first instance of the Genode Hack'n Hike, which were wonderful days full of hacking, relaxing, brain- storming, and enjoying the magnificent nature of the Saxon Switzerland together. From the feedback we got from the attendees, it goes without saying that this should not stay a singular event, but rather be the prelude of a tradition. Hence, we have fixed the date for this year's Hack'n Hike: Begin: Wednesday, September 11 End: Monday, September 16 We extended the duration of the event over that of last year's. Whether you'd like to drop by for just a few hours, or you'd like to stay for the whole time, you are welcome to join in. Genode Labs will sponsor the accommodation. So don't worry too much about the costs. As of now, we haven't finalized the decision about the venue, but you can be sure that it will be a beautiful and romantic place, presumably in Saxony/Germany or Bohemian Switzerland in Czech Republic. If you have particular preferences regarding the accommodation or leisure-time activities, then the best time to get in touch with us is now. Also, if you plan attending, we'd greatly appreciate a short notice, which will help us with planning ahead. Please write to: hacknhike@genode-labs.com We at Genode Labs are looking forward to the gathering of the Genode community in autumn and would love to welcome you! 3. Genode as a hybrid simulation environment for hardware design ---------------------------------------------------------------- For designing complex hardware systems, the approach of full-system simulation at register-transfer level is severely limited in terms of simulation performance. This limitation, in turn, makes the interaction of complex OS software running on top of such simulated hardware infeasible. Hybrid simulation environments promise to overcome this problem by reducing the level of detail for known-to- work parts of the system, and employing cycle-accurate simulation solely to those parts, the developer is focussing on. The extremely modular nature of the Genode OS Framework lends itself to the idea to leverage this modularity for realizing a hybrid simulation environment, in which individual device drivers of a complete Genode systems can be re-targeted from simulated hardware to a real device in a completely transparent manner. This powerful idea was picked up by Martin Stein for this Diploma thesis. In his (German language) work "Ausbau einer Umgebung für das Co- Design von Hardware und Software", he extends a microkernel-based emulation framework, introduced in an earlier student research project, to develop a new approach to hardware-software co-design. His solution facilitates the seamless integration of HDL designs into complex real-world software systems. It enables driver software to interact with individual HDL designs as well as HDL components to interact with each other. His thesis is available at: http://www.genode-labs.com/publications/mstein-hw-codesign-2013.pdf During his work on the simulation environment, Martin has almost single-handily implemented Genode's base-hw kernel platform, on which his simulation environment builds on. Now, after his successful defense of his work, we are excited to welcome Martin as member of the Genode Labs staff! About the newsletter -------------------- If you have friends or colleagues who might be interested in our projects, we would appreciate you to forward this email. If you received this newsletter as a forwarded email, you may subscribe to the newsletter here: http://genode-labs.com/newsletter In the case of receiving this newsletter unintended, you can cancel your subscription at any time by replying to this email with the subject set to "unsubscribe". Best regards -- Dr.-Ing. Norman Feske Genode Labs http://www.genode-labs.com · http://genode.org Genode Labs GmbH · Amtsgericht Dresden · HRB 28424 · Sitz Dresden Geschäftsführer: Dr.-Ing. Norman Feske, Christian Helmuth
