The embedded Linux appliance industry is changing from making innovative apps for low-cost, low-spec devices to one where powerful hardware runs more complex applications. While resource-intensive devices will become the norm, the low-end will still be the ones delivering the volume and the backbone of the consumer industry in today’s embedded Linux Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem. With the explosion of the connected IoT on the intelligent edge, it’s more important than ever to keep devices up to date and secure. We discuss the challenges faced by embedded engineers on managing firmware and their apps on low-spec embedded devices. Finally, we’ll describe how containers and other cloud-native technologies can help automate and make IoT Linux distros secure and portable.
Top Three Challenges in Managing Low-Spec Embedded Devices
#1. Keeping Embedded Systems Lean Across Diverse Hardware
Most embedded devices for IoT are single-function and single-purpose, and they are fitted with minimal hardware capabilities that support their intended purpose. In addition, the diverse set of hardware can have limited flash memory with a minimum of 32 MB of NAND, NOR, or EMMC storage with a minimum RAM of 64 MB. These constraints, as well as the diversity of hardware, can limit its processing and networking capability.