Starting With The OSGi Specifications By Peter Kriens, CEO aQute OSGi Fellow

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Starting With The OSGi SpecificationsByPeter
Kriens, CEO aQuteOSGi Fellow
www.aQute.se
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Content

• About the OSGi Alliance
• Why? Where?
• Pro/Con
• Pilot Project
• Development
• Your OSGi Needs You!
• Conclusion

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About The OSGi Alliance

• Established in 1999 to create a common model for
  networked services
• Active in the car industry, industrial
  automation, entertainment, and of course home
  automation
• Applicable for the coming generation of wired
  appliance that will require management

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Why is OSGi needed?

• Closed universe
• Upgrades are in unity
• Not necessary to interact with other devices
• (Relatively) easy to manage
• Can be proprietary
• No Need For OSGi ...

Unconnected Dedicated Device
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Why Is OSGi needed?

• Needs to inter-work with future products
• Increased functionality requires off the shelf
  components
• Execute branded services
• ...
• Too much for a single development organization!

Firewire
Connected Open Device
802.11
MHP
Bluetooth
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Products Based On OSGi

• Easy to upgrade with new functionality
• Easy to have a family of products
• Save cost with standard components
• Simplify development

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Pro/Con

• Con
• Size Performance. Java requires a heavier
  processor and more RAM for the similar
  functionality.
• Pro
• Large Java Developer Society
• Third party components
• (Much) Wider market opportunities
• Hedge your bets

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Pilot Project

• Find an applicable product that is (becoming)
  connected to other devices
• Train a group of developers
• Analyze the role OSGi can play for the product
• Analyze the changes required for the device
• Find standard components
• Build a prototype

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Train a group of developers

• Training is paramount
• Design is on the wrong side of development. We
  have to take decisions before we know the
  details.
• The dynamic programming model of the OSGi
  specifications are somewhat "different"
• Technical skills required are
• Java on Embedded systems
• OSGi service model
• Domain knowledge

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Analyze The Role OSGi Can Play

• Candidate Areas
• Network Application Protocols (HTTP,UPnP,JINI,NEWS
  )
• "Intelligence"
• Remote Management
• User Interface
• Caching
• Database
• Security

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How To Handle Native Code

• OSGi is Java based but supports native code very
  well
• A bundle (an OSGi executable) can contain native
  code for different architectures
• Suitable for
• Legacy code
• High Performance Code
• Low level device control

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What Changes Are Required?

• It is usually better when the OSGi Framework is
  "in control"
• Simplifies use of components
• Better decomposition
• Prevent the "mixed approach" trap"
• OSGi can handle legacy code very well

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Find Standard Components

• Many OSGi member companies have developed
  off-the-shelf components
• These are usually cheaper than building them
  in-house
• Very good quality available
• More functionality, more choice
• Companies are, amongst others, IBM, Gatespace,
  ProSyst, Atinav, OpenSugar, SUN, Acunia, ...
• Select preferred vendor, but work with others

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OS And VM

• Most embedded OS's support Java today
• Linux, QNX, Win CE, Win XP embedded
• Not all VMs are created equal
• Memory consumption and performance can differ
  significantly between VMs
• Select VM Profile
• OSGi runs on CDC with Foundation Profile (SUN),
  jclGateway (IBM) or other profiles that implement
  the OSGi minimum execution requirement

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Quantify

• What Memory CPU is needed?
• Java adds a significant overhead.
• gt 100 MIPS
• gt 8 Mbyte RAM
• Overhead (space/time) OSGi is minimal
• Note that extra space is needed for downloaded
  services (Include memory stick like the Ericsson
  P800)

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Quantify
Added Value
Applications
Functionality
Applications
Functionality
Java
Java
Overhead
Overhead
Ratio lt 0
Ratio gt 0
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Build a Prototype

• Build a prototype, because you will build one
  anyway
• Remember performance and size, always!
• Budget memory performance
• Stay vendor independent
• At least do not become proprietary without a
  decision
• Use component model for internal development
• Reuse might be higher than you think

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Your OSGi Needs You

• Feedback experiences and service definitions into
  the OSGi
• Why
• Improve the quality by having many eyes look at
  it critically
• Discover alternatives
• If it becomes standardized, you have a head start
• Altruism!

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Conclusions

• The OSGi/Java combination is going to be needed
  in a connected world
• Java simplifies programming, but embedded devices
  will remain more complex than desktops
• The component model can help making devices
  applicable in new markets
• Third party development will be a requirement in
  the future

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Questions ? Contact Peter.Kriens_at_aQute.se