Hardware vendors across the industry are under pressure to accelerate time to market, reduce total cost of ownership (TCO), and adapt to longer product lifecycles. Changing consumer needs and regulatory pressures are mandating that devices are supported for longer. However, the cost of maintaining multiple platforms is not viable for operating system (OS) providers. As hardware changes, OSs need to remain compatible. A unified approach to OS installation and boot eliminates the cost of customizing and maintaining multiple platform specific processes. This makes device support manageable and lets manufacturers reach a broader addressable market.
Arm SystemReady is a compliance program that ensures OS interoperability on Arm-based hardware. Specifically, that the needs of target software are incorporated into silicon design, so software running on the OS remains compatible with new hardware. Implementation accelerates time to market, as developers can build an OS once and deploy it on any compliant Arm-based chip, regardless of the manufacturer. Existing software can move through hardware generations, retaining and potentially expanding its install base.Arm SystemReady is implemented in alignment with the two OS environment and firmware approaches commonly used today. These are split into the following bands:
With the growing need for compliance, the Arm SystemReady program needs to be both more efficient and easier to integrate into the development process. Manufacturers need a way to incorporate Arm SystemReady that is applicable to the lifetime of a device, and not just a single moment in time. To meet these needs, Arm has simplified the program by:
A move from certification to compliance emphasizes continuous integration and delivery, where standards are maintained throughout the lifetime of a device. Certification only ensured this was the case at a single moment in time. The benefits of a long-term, compliance-based program will be reflected in both product support and reduced troubleshooting over the lifetime of the device.
The move to compliance takes place from November 2024. Manufacturers can now begin to integrate Arm SystemReady test suites into their production processes to ensure firmware remains compliant with the latest versions of the specifications. The roll out of these test suites differs depending on the band required:
As these changes take place, Arm will continue to support the self-declared compliance of Virtual Environments (VE) for cloud instances and virtual platforms.
By making the program more accessible, both barriers to adoption and the time taken to become compliant are lowered. Manufacturers can control more variables during long-term planning, reducing risk. The dissemination of testing suites ensures firmware compliance can be brought in-house, allowing for self-declaration. Alternatively, the expertise of trusted external engineering partners through test labs remains available if preferred.
Some industry certifications require use of the Arm SystemReady Architecture Compliance Suite as part of their program. Arm will ensure this suite remains available for certification providers so they can continue to incorporate and build on the standards it sets.
Arm continues to invest in Arm SystemReady to meet the growing demand for solutions that accelerate time to market, reduce TCO, and facilitate the need to meet market pressures. With Arm SystemReady, the Arm ecosystem has a unified approach to OS installation and boot. Implementation lowers the cost of production, while ensuring device support in line with changing consumer behavior and regulation.
With Arm SystemReady now more accessible and easier for manufacturers to integrate, the 20 million developers that build software on Arm can be assured that their applications will continue to remain supported on Arm SystemReady compliant devices.
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