Introduction to Embedded Linux in Theory and Practice - a Crash Course

The aim of this crash course is to provide a basic overview of embedded GNU/Linux. What are the components needed to build an embedded GNU/Linux system where to get them from and how to configure/build/install them? Where to get help from? What about licenses? Hands-on exercises provide you with the necessary practical experience to go ahead and configure/build an embedded GNU/Linux system with mainline components.

This 3-day training class uses hands-on exercises combined with instruction to illustrate some basic concepts of Embedded GNU/Linux. Hands on sessions are performed with Yocto, on a Beagle-Bone Black Rev.C. The whole workshop is designed to bring you quickly up to speed. The concepts and commands necessary to make effective use of Embedded GNU/Linux are described through a combination of theory and on-the-job training. Don’t reinvent the wheel, but learn from an experienced trainer and take home a working knowledge of Embedded GNU/Linux and the ability to use it effectively in your own embedded development project.

You can also book this seminar as an online-private-seminar! Just write us a short non-binding e-mail with the desired date and location as well as the number of participants: training@eclipseina.com

We also offer a training on the topic of the Yocto Project.

Get an overview of all our seminars on embedded-academy.com!

Target Group

Project managers, software, hardware, development and systems engineers, technicians and those interested in technology who want to try to understand as quickly as possible how Embedded GNU/Linux works. You have to use GNU/Linux, or have the luxury to decide whether it makes sense to use it or not. You may already use Embedded GNU/Linux, but you are not quite sure if you do everything right. You currently use another operating system and want to find out whether Linux would maybe be more cost effective. . . .

Prerequisites

• Basic knowledge of how to use Linux (Ubuntu)
• Familiarity with embedded C concepts and programming
• Ability to develop software using C syntax
• Basic knowledge of embedded processor development boards
• ... or no fear to learn the aboveand programming

Training Content

Introduction

• History
• Licensing
• Standards
• The Unix Philosophy

Embedded Specifics

• What’s an Embedded System?
• Embedded vs. Desktop Linux
• Software Release
• Build for your Target
• Toolchains
• C-libraries

Eval Board

• Eval Board
• Booting GNU/Linux on a PC
• Booting GNU/Linux on an Embedded System
• Boot Sequence
• SD card partitions

Stuff needed

• Host
  • Toolkit
    • Install Yocto SDK
  • SD card
  • screen
  • minicom
  • tftp server
  • Root file systems
  • Nfs server
• Target
  • U-Boot
    • Das U-Boot
    • Scripting
    • Fancy stuff
      • Spash Screen
      • U-Boot environment from Linux
      • Post mortem
      • Automatic SW update
      • How to contribute?
    • Get/Configure/Build/Install
    • Commands
  • Flat device tree
    • What is a flat device tree?
    • Device tree compiler
    • Examples/Documentation
  • Linux kernel
    • Get
    • Kbuild
    • Multi Platfrom Support
    • Configure/Build/Install
    • Get/configure/build install
    • What is uImage?
    • Build fdt
    • In-tree kernel modules

Customizations

• Customizations
  • System hangs
  • pseudo tty
  • getty
  • runlevel
  • static ip
• Init
  • Sys-V
  • Various
  • Systemd
• Bootgraph
• Bootchart

Kernel Modules

• init/exit
• Licensing
• tainted module/kernel
• EXPORT_SYMBOL
• out of tree .ko
• module-init-tools
• put module in tree
• loading/modprobe
• parameter passing
• access TCB

Device Drivers

• Device Files
• Device Types
• Device Nodes major/minor
• Kernel Driver Interface
• Device Driver
  • Intro
  • Registration
  • Initialization
  • Open/Release
• Miscellaneous Character Drivers

User Space Debugging

• Simple tools
• Advanced tools
• What’s a debugger?
• gdb
  • target gdb
  • gdb remote debugging

Kernel Debugging

• kgdb/kdb + agent-proxy
• JTAG

Profiling/Tracing

• Profiling/Tracing tools
  • strace
  • system timers
  • gprof
  • gcov
  • ftrace/kernelshark
  • systemtap
  • oprofile
  • perf
  • LTTng
• top an friends
  • top
  • latencytop
  • powertop
  • powerdebug
• crash

Technical requirements to attend a remote/online training

• (ship-it/web/host/target/phone) e-mail address to get login credentials
• (web) screen sharing/audio/video/whiteboard/chat/Q&A: https://www.bigmarker.com requires this: https://rlbl.me/bm-req.
• backup: (web)/audio (phone) conference call: https://www.turbobridge.com/international.html
• (host/target) shell: port 22 not blocked: something like: ssh @vlabx.dyndns.org
• backup: (host/target) shell via browser: port 443 not blocked: something like: https://vlabx.dyndns.org

Organiser:

Eclipseina GmbH | Embedded Academy

Technologiezentrum TechBase
Franz-Mayer-Straße 1
93053 Regensburg

Tel.: +49 941 / 462 974 20
Fax: +49 941 / 462 974 30