LAA Overview

The LAA is a fully integrated Embedded Device Testing Harness. It is a critical component of Linaro’s virtual lab technologies.

The LAA enables rapid integration of a new Device Under Test (DUT) into the Linaro Automated Validation Architecture(LAVA) test automation framework by providing all required hardware components for automated testing of your software stack—from firmware to user-space applications—on the target hardware.

At its core, the LAA functions as a fully integrated Embedded Device Testing Harness, seamlessly connecting a DUT to the test environment. This innovative approach represents a significant advancement in embedded platform validation, offering multiple benefits for automated testing and compliance assurance. As a fully integrated Embedded Device Testing Harness, the LAA seamlessly connects a DUT to the test environment, enabling efficient and automated validation. This approach enhances embedded platform testing by improving reliability, streamlining workflows, and ensuring compliance with hardware and software requirements.

Benefits include:

  • A uniform form factor that provides mechanical security to attached test devices

  • Eliminates the need for external cables, USB hubs, secondary relays, serial concentrators, DC power bricks when using POE, and programmable PDUs

  • A unique design that provides the ability to attach to a very basic Mechanical Interface Board(MIB). The MIBs provide custom control components, eliminate extraneous and unreliable wiring, and greatly increase long-term reliability of embedded lab CIs.

  • Integration of Automation control software which further eliminates the need for additional lab equipment.

  • I/O pinoouts can be aligned to do same functions on different platforms simplifying the automation integration

The LAA is comprised of two components:

  • a Standard Interface Board (or SIB)

  • a Mechanical Interface Board (or MIB)

LAA components

A Device Under Test (DUT) is coupled to the LAA via the MIB. The list of supported devices and how to connect them to the LAA can be found in the Devices Overview section.

Standard Interface Board (SIB)

The SIB is the compute engine of the LAA, facilitating communication with the cloud-based Managed LAVA Server and Fleet Management modules via HTTPS. It controls the DUT, manages device registration, supports device access control, enables OTA updates, and performs various other critical functions.

The SIB enables users to remotely test software on a local DUT through the MIB. The LSIB features a standard interface connector that supports the connection of various MIBs. The SIB includes all necessary hardware components to fully automate testing on the DUT. The SIB allows a user to remotely test software on a local DUT via the MIB.

The SIB provides all the necessary hardware components to automate tests on the DUT including:

  • Status Indicators (OLED Panel / LED’s)

    • OLED: MacID, IP Address, Identifier Beacon

    • LEDs: Pwr, USB, Eth, DUT, NVME status, other

  • Two Ethernet ports (RJ45)

    • A private one for DUT connection to isolate the test network

    • A public one for Cloud Connection to the LAVA Managed Server and test package downloads if required

  • Managed power rails: 1v8, 3v3, 5v and 12v

  • A managed USB hub:

    • 1 type-C PD (power delivery) and 3 type-A

    • A USB OTG port that can be leveraged for USB mass-storage emulation

    • Also used for serial access to the DUT

  • Virtual buttons

  • Thermal probe support for measuring DUT temperature

  • A standardized 96-pin Connector to support customizable MIB’s - Multi-use Expansion GPIO Pins (I2C, Uart/Console, SPIO)

  • DUT Power monitoring support

Mechanical Interface Board (MIB)

The MIB is a separate board that provides basic PCB mapping between the SIB and the DUT.

This helps to solve the problem that no two embedded platforms are alike, and hand wiring has been found to be unreliable, historically causing many hardware faults in labs post-installation due to rack vibrations, slight board movements, etc.

The stability provided in a setup using mechanical connectors such as on MIBs greatly improves lab installation long-term reliability and sustainability.

MIBs can also be customized to include active circuitry for use cases requiring voltage stepping, external regulators for automation control, and SIB expansion GPIO for component control.

The current list of available MIBs can be found in the MIBs section of this document.

Custom MIB

For specific boards, it’s easy and economical to create a custom MIB in the cases where you may need to support multiple DUTs of the same family using the LAA.

A LAVA worker

The Linaro Automation Appliance is a fully integrated LAVA worker.

The LAVA worker is fully configured from the fleet management software. You only need to specify the LAVA instance to use and the attached DUT and the Linaro Automation Appliance will be automatically configured in your LAVA server.