Best Practices for Deploying, Replicating, and Managing Real-Time and FPGA Applications. ni.com

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1 Best Practices for Deploying, Replicating, and Managing Real-Time and FPGA Applications

2 System Deployment System Replication Configuration Mgmt. System Monitoring System Updates 2

3 Agenda Preparing for Deployment Update Deployment Methods Methods 3

4 1: Prepare for Deployment Verifying Resource Utilization Configuring Target for Deployment 4

5 Verifying Resource Utilization Disk Utilization Guideline: Keep disk utilization under 80% CPU Load Guideline: Keep CPU load under 80% Memory Usage Ensure largest contiguous memory doesn t decrease 5

6 Resource Utilization: Disk Space MAX System Monitor Get Volume Info VI 6

7 Resource Utilization: CPU & Memory Distributed System Manger for CPU and Memory Usage System State Publisher must be installed to controller Get CPU Loads VI System API to get Memory Use 7

8 Configuring for Deployment Use Recommended Software Set installations (RSS) Uninstall unused components Improves system security and performance 8

9 Demo 1: RSS 1. See software list for Custom Software Install 2. See software list for RIO 4.0 RSS 3. Compare RSS to Custom Software Install 9

10 2: Deployment and Replication Configuration management LabVIEW Project based deployment FPGA flash deployment Imaging-based deployment Advanced: component-based deployment 10

11 Configuration Management Packets of information about units in a system Track historical hardware and software versions/data Information on host vs. information on a target Useful for tracking system state at any time 11

12 System Information Packet Meta Information Properties RT Controller Information Application EXE Controller Configuration Driver Software Set Other Application Files Network Settings FPGA Configuration 12

13 LabVIEW Project Based Deployment Deployment will refer to deploying executable and/or compiled bitfile Benefits of a Real-Time Application Executable (RTEXE) Embedded application: Can launch on system startup/boot Improved execution performance Improved system security 13

14 LabVIEW Project Based Deployment After development is complete, build a Real-Time Application (RTEXE) for deployment Requires development environment and source code Can set RTEXE as a startup executable 14

15 Demo 2: LabVIEW Project Based Deployment 1. Build the RT LED Application 2. Deploy the RTEXE as a startup executable 15

16 LabVIEW Project Based Deployment What happens to FPGA code when deploying RTEXEs? How are the startup states for FPGA I/O controlled? 16

17 Open FPGA VI Reference Timing Device powered RTEXE loads RTOS loads FPGA loads FPGA I/O state uncontrolled 17

18 FPGA Deployment Two methods to deploy an FPGA bitfile: 1. Host can load bitfile with Open FPGA VI Reference.vi 2. Load independently into FPGA flash memory 1 2 Host VI/Executable FGPA Application FGPA Application 18

19 RIO Hardware Architecture Overview FPGA Flash Processor FPGA Fabric I/O Real-Time or Host FPGA 19

20 FPGA Deployment: Host Reference Bitfile is saved in host application with Open FPGA VI Reference.vi In execution, Open FPGA function checks if bitfile is loaded and loads if not already loaded Caveat: bitfile isn t loaded and run until OS and application load 20

21 FPGA Deployment: FPGA Flash Alternative is to deploy FPGA bitfile to flash Right Click the FPGA Target in the project and select RIO Device Setup Programmatically, use NI-RIO System Replication VIs found on NI Developer Zone (Title: FPGA Target System Replication) Set RIO Device Settings.vi Download Bitfile.vi 21

22 FPGA Deployment Bitfile can run on device power up and/or reboot: Note: Must compile with Run when loaded to FPGA checked (not default) RTEXE can still connect to FGPA bitfile 22

23 FPGA Flash Deployment Timing Device powered; FPGA bitfile runs RTEXE loads RTOS loads RTEXE connects with FPGA FPGA I/O state controlled 23

24 Demo 3: FPGA Flash Deployment 1. Deploy FPGA bitfile to flash 2. Observe power-up and boot behavior 24

25 IDE Deployment May involve some or all of: Discover the target in MAX Apply network settings Install all necessary drivers Open the development project Change project IP Address Build the application EXE Deploy the application Manual FPGA Flash deployment 25

26 IDE Deployment What about project-based deployment in the context of:

27 Imaging 1. Deploy built application to a controller from project 2. Create Disk Image from this controller Image packages every file on the controller hard drive in a zip file saved on the host machine 3. Deploy that image to one or more targets

28 2012 New Features: NI System Configuration API 30% faster at deploying images Support for parallel deployment of images Parallel Image Deployment Ability to get progress information during imaging Additional options for network settings File/Folder blacklisting for system imaging File & Directory Blacklisting Improved web based configuration for remote devices Supported on Windows and RT 28

29 2012 Real-Time Image Deployment Improvements Parallel image deployment to targets 30 % faster image retrieval and deployment File and directory blacklist option Improved and expanded web configuration Parallel Image Deployment File & Directory Blacklisting 29

30 Imaging Provides an exact copy of a system Easily deployed to multiple targets Reduced risk of deployment error (fewer steps) Can be used as restore points/as backups Development environment not required Must deploy images to the same controller model Existing configuration or log files on target controller can get deleted Upgrades can be slower than necessary Doesn t handle FPGA Flash deployment 30

31 Imaging Packet Information Meta Information Properties RT Controller Information Application EXE Controller Configuration Driver Software Set Other Application Files Network Settings FPGA Configuration 31

32 Replication and Deployment (RAD) Utility Open source image-based deployment utility Use as-is or as a starting point for a custom solution 32

33 RAD: Image Management Retrieve Deploy 33

34 RAD: File/Folder Blacklisting 34

35 RAD: Target Configuration NI Auth Integration Easier network settings 35

36 RAD: Image Comparison RAD can perform a file-by-file checksum comparison between images Can identify which files are different 36

37 Demo 4: RAD 1. RAD user interface 2. RAD get image function 3. RAD retrieve blacklist functionality 4. RAD deploy image function 37

38 RAD Feature Recap Retrieve and deploy images Select multiple targets for image deployment Configure deployment network settings FPGA flash deployment (uses RIO Replication Tools) Image versioning File-by-file image comparison tool for validation For downloads and documentation: NI Developer Zone: Replication and Deployment (RAD) Utility 38

39 RAD Packet Information Meta Information Properties RT Controller Information Application EXE Controller Configuration Driver Software Set Other Application Files Network Settings FPGA Configuration 39

40 Imaging APIs System Configuration API Released in 2010 Active R&D development RT Utilities API No new development, deprecated in

41 System Configuration API In Measurement I/O Palette and Real-Time Palette 41

42 System Configuration API Session-based (Open Read/Write Close) Uses both VIs and Property/Invoke Nodes Examples in Example Finder 42

43 Application Components RT Application is built into a system component Allows specification of driver dependencies for application 1. Setup in configuration of the RTEXE build in the project 2. Components are installed from MAX or programmatically with System Configuration API to targets

44 Application Components Benefits Multiple target types supported components Shorter deployment times Built from the project no retrieval required Built in versioning Integrates into MAX For niche uses: rapid update timeframe, high data cost 44

45 Application Components Limitations Characteristic Dependencies can change due to new driver installs* Project configurations cannot be deployed Impact Components are not safe as-is for defining restore points Cannot natively deploy Shared Variables or handle Custom Scan Engine Settings Component sharing requires entirety of RT Images folder Limits portability of components to other update/deployment host machines *If RSS is not used in setting up driver installation on the target 45

46 Application Components 46

47 Application Components Deployment MAX works as a GUI to install components to targets 47

48 Application Components Deployment System Configuration API to programmatically deploy Component Definition File /National Instruments/RT Images/User Components/[Project Name]/[Target Name]/[Build Specification Name]/[Version #] Distribute RT Images Folder to other machines if necessary 48

49 Demo 5: Components 1. Build RTEXE into an application component 2. Install application component using MAX 49

50 Component Packet Information Meta Information Properties RT Controller Information Application EXE Controller Configuration Driver Software Set Other Application Files Network Settings FPGA Configuration 50

51 For Comparison: Imaging Meta Information Properties RT Controller Information Application EXE Controller Configuration Driver Software Set Other Application Files Network Settings FPGA Configuration 51

52 For Comparison: RAD Meta Information Properties RT Controller Information Application EXE Controller Configuration Driver Software Set Other Application Files Network Settings FPGA Configuration 52

53 Comparison: RAD and Components Imaging copies the whole; components update parts Different uses for each method and they can be combined Recommendation: Use imaging (easier and less complex) RAD (Imaging based) Must deploy to same model controller Slower deployment but vetted stack; can verify deployment Packets can serve as restore points and are portable Components Controller agnostic Faster deployment but room for user error; verification more difficult Packets are less portable and there is risk in using them as restore points 53

54 3: Update Methods 1. Remote Imaging 2. USB Deployment 54

55 Update Methods: Remote Imaging Developer can build the RAD into a custom installer (DevZone provides source for RAD) Developer can take an image and send file to client Client can load and apply image on local machine with custom installer at remote site Developer Site Client Site 55

56 Update Methods: USB Memory Device Image-based solution Use: RIO target not available over the network Store an update image on USB device Plug USB device into controller to be updated Controller reboots Original and updated application images check for a USB device at startup and update if a new image is found Reference Design for Deploying CompactRIO Application Updates using a USB Memory Device 56

57 Summary Deployment ready application Method Imaging Traditional Deployment Application Components API RT Utilities System Configuration Tool RTAD RAD Custom Build 57

58 Takeaways RAD is the 90% use case for advanced deployment Application components address niche cases and are not yet recommended for common use Visit the crio Developer s Guide to refresh and for additional content such as licensing 58

59 crio Information Library (CRI) Returns backplane and module serial # s, model # s, etc. Deploys a bitstream to the FPGA to return module data Used as a component in the RTAD Reference Library for Reading crio System Configuration Information (CRI) 59

60 Configuration Management: RT Application Licensing Reference Design Technique to limit the hardware than an RTEXE executes on 1. License Key is generated from hardware serial numbers and then encrypted 2. License Key is then distributed with the RT Application 3. Distributed application cross checks hardware serial numbers with license key at startup Reference Design for Adding Licensing to LabVIEW Real-Time Applications 60