Sean HudsonEmbedded Linux Architect

Embedded Systems Division

Embedded Linux Pitfalls

Outline

IntroductionA bit o’ perspectivePitfallsConclusionsQ&A

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Introduction

Setting expectations

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A bit o’ perspective (History)

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Third levelFourth level

Fifth level

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A bit o’ perspective (History)

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Pitfalls

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Pitfalls – Some Fundamentals

Hardware and software: an impedance mismatch?

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Pitfalls – Some Fundamentals

NIH syndrome

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Pitfalls – Some Fundamentals

What do you mean this runs on my desktop?

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Pitfalls - Maintenance

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nBuilding the “Tower of Babel”

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nCarrying too many patches

Pitfalls – Maintenance

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Third levelFourth level

Fifth level

Pitfalls – System Design

Interfaces, APIs, & contracts

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Pitfalls – System Design

Upgrade path

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Pitfalls – Tools

Debuggers are your friend. No, really.

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Pitfalls – Tools

Use NFS to mount your target rootfs

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Conclusions

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Questions?

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PitfallsFundamentals:

What do you mean that I can’t use my hammer?

What do you mean this runs on my desktop?

Treating Linux the same as you would your commercial/bare metal OS

Hardware isn’t a product

NIH syndrome

Planning/Design:What’s in the choice of a CPU? Know thy footprint!

Interfaces, interfaces, interfaces

Forgetting the upgrade path until the end, if at all

Hardening

Maintenance:Building a tower of Babel

Carrying too many patches

ToolsDebugging with printf()

Are you ready to cross Canada?

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Pitfalls – Some Fundamentals

Failure to learn about Linux specifics early on

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