========================================= Genode Labs Newsletter - April / May 2020 ========================================= Content 1. Genode OS Framework 20.05 released 2. Genode as pass-through hypervisor running Android 3. Our new take on broadening the ARM SoC support for Sculpt OS 4. Excitement about the MNT Reform laptop 1. Genode OS Framework 20.05 released ------------------------------------- Just yesterday, we published the version 20.05 of the Genode OS framework, bearing the fruit of our tireless optimization and consolidation work. Two architectural topics stand out most: First, after having presented the initial version of Sculpt OS on 64-bit ARM hardware in February, we further intensified our ARM-related developments. The release comes with new device- driver framework infrastructure that introduces fine-grained access control to device hardware and fosters the separation between driver mechanisms and platform-specific parametrization. Functionality-wise, we achieved the unification of the formerly distinct virtual machine monitors for 32-bit and 64-bit ARM. Second, the use of Linux as base platform has become much more tangible. Originally meant as a development vehicle only, this version of Genode used to lack the enforcement of fine-grained access control. However, thanks to the joint efforts with our friends at gapfruit AG, the new version revamps the low-level Linux-specific parts of the framework, sandboxes components via the seccomp mechanism and implements Genode's fine-grained object-capability model based of socket descriptors. This way, the use of Genode on Linux for production is no longer a pipe dream. Regarding framework features, the most prominent topic is the feature completion of our custom block-level encryption component that we first introduced in Genode 19.11. The new version has become able to perform the cryptographic re-keying and the resizing of the virtual block device on the fly. Among the many further topics are the improved management of CPU affinities on x86, new tracing utilities, and the updated version of the Genode Foundations book, reflecting the changes of the framework since one year ago. All topics are covered in great detail by the official release documentation: https://genode.org/documentation/release-notes/20.05 2. Genode as pass-through hypervisor running Android ---------------------------------------------------- To showcase the recently added virtualization features of Genode on the 64-bit ARM architecture, we created an exemplary scenario that uses Genode as a pass-through hypervisor for running Android on the NXP i.MX8M hardware. In this scenario, almost all devices are handed over to Android so that features like GPU-accelerated graphics are readily usable. Behind the back of Android, however, Genode retains the exclusive access to a few selected critical devices and is able to host regular Genode components. We publicly documented this line of work in the form of two articles. The first article covers the building of Android from source and the integration with Genode: https://genodians.org/ssumpf/2020-04-09-android The second article sheds light on a few unexpected obstacles we had to overcome to bring Android up in its full glory: https://genodians.org/ssumpf/2020-05-03-android_update 3. Our new take on broadening the ARM SoC support for Sculpt OS --------------------------------------------------------------- We touched on the topic of the ARM SoC landscape from our perspective already in November: https://genodians.org/nfeske/2019-11-20-arm-soc-landscape This article presented our line of reasoning behind putting our full focus on the presumably most open ARM SoC available, namely NXP i.MX. In the meantime, we got repeatedly approached by parties who expressed interest in more diversity, in particular interest in commodity mobile chips. It is beyond the capacity of Genode Labs to accommodate multiple SoCs with the same level of commitment. However, we figured that we can readily provide aid to others who are willing to commit to such work! To anticipate jointly carrying the SoC support by multiple shoulders, we started sharing our formerly company- internal recipes and experiences. We started off with an overview article: https://genodians.org/nfeske/2020-04-30-porting-sculpt A second article goes into detail about the first step: https://genodians.org/nfeske/2020-05-15-porting-sculpt-prepare The article series will eventually become a guidance document. If you are interested in the topic or even consider working on a platform port of Sculpt OS on your own, your feedback would be very valuable to us. Please do not hesitate to reach out! 4. Excitement about the MNT Reform laptop ----------------------------------------- One of the coolest open-hardware projects ever has started its crowd-funding campaign. We are speaking of the Reform laptop created by MNT Research in Berlin. https://www.crowdsupply.com/mnt/reform You may ask why we're thinking so highly of this project? First, it embodies the ethos that drives us Genode developers, giving the users the ultimate control and confidence over their computing platform. Having a self-determined digital life instead of ever staying at the receiving end of mere consumer products. Second, the enthusiasm, playfulness, and - at the same time - professional attitude of project leader Lukas Hartmann is almost impossible to resist. Check out his twitter account with your own eyes. https://twitter.com/mntmn Third, the hardware choices taken by MNT Research are strangely consistent with our perspective. The Reform laptop is based on the very same SoC we have selected to focus on, namely NXP i.MX8. The goal is set to bring Sculpt OS to the Reform laptop! The crowd-funding campaign for the MNT Reform is open until mid of June. Visit the link above to learn more about this fantastic project. About the newsletter -------------------- If you have friends or colleagues who might be interested in our projects, we would appreciate you to forward this email. If you received this newsletter as a forwarded email, you may subscribe to the newsletter here: https://genode-labs.com/newsletter In the case of receiving this newsletter unintended, you can cancel your subscription at any time by replying to this email with the subject set to "unsubscribe". Best regards -- Dr.-Ing. Norman Feske Genode Labs https://www.genode-labs.com/ · https://genode.org/ https://twitter.com/GenodeLabs · /ˈdʒiː.nəʊd/ Genode Labs GmbH · Amtsgericht Dresden · HRB 28424 · Sitz Dresden Geschäftsführer: Dr.-Ing. Norman Feske, Christian Helmuth
