TY - JOUR

T1 - Think inside the (mk)box

T2 - A tool for creating and deploying application-specific Linux images utilized in a SiLA software development process

AU - Lange, Ferdinand

AU - Habich, Tessa

AU - Beutel, Sascha

N1 - Funding Information: The authors thank the Lower Saxony Ministery of Science and Culture for the funding of the works within the frame of the collaborative project ‘‘Agile Bioinspired Architectures’’, funding number ZN3822. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank the Open Access fund of Leibniz University Hannover for the funding of the publication of this article.

PY - 2024/5

Y1 - 2024/5

N2 - Generally the number of software and hardware components that need to communicate seamlessly with each other is fast increasing in the digital lab environment. Many of these systems are customized for a specific task or application, practically involving software development. Such software can range from simple pump controls to management systems, over SiLA 2 drivers for laboratory instruments. Once developed, this software needs to be installed and maintained on the desired hardware. In addition, managing the configuration of the software is equally important for successful use in the laboratory. In case of hardware problems or failure, reinstalling the software may become difficult if the information is lost. With this article, it is explained how this problem can be solved with an automated workflow and developed software, mkbox - a tool for creating reliable application-specific Linux images. The goal of mkbox is to create Linux images using simple description files. Images can be distributed to target devices in the laboratory by using the integrated update and deployment mechanism. Using the mkbox tool has simplified the development workflow in the lab environment and reduced the time required to maintain software on target devices.

AB - Generally the number of software and hardware components that need to communicate seamlessly with each other is fast increasing in the digital lab environment. Many of these systems are customized for a specific task or application, practically involving software development. Such software can range from simple pump controls to management systems, over SiLA 2 drivers for laboratory instruments. Once developed, this software needs to be installed and maintained on the desired hardware. In addition, managing the configuration of the software is equally important for successful use in the laboratory. In case of hardware problems or failure, reinstalling the software may become difficult if the information is lost. With this article, it is explained how this problem can be solved with an automated workflow and developed software, mkbox - a tool for creating reliable application-specific Linux images. The goal of mkbox is to create Linux images using simple description files. Images can be distributed to target devices in the laboratory by using the integrated update and deployment mechanism. Using the mkbox tool has simplified the development workflow in the lab environment and reduced the time required to maintain software on target devices.

KW - Gateway Module

KW - Linux images

KW - SiLA 2

KW - Single board computer

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85189561415&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.softx.2024.101705

DO - 10.1016/j.softx.2024.101705

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85189561415

VL - 26

JO - SoftwareX

JF - SoftwareX

SN - 2352-7110

M1 - 101705

ER -