This Phase I project will determine the feasibility of automating the integration testing and analysis of system-level compliance with HOST standards within the 6U and 3U OpenVPX architecture domains. It will also define the requirements and architecture for a HOST Integration Tool Set that can assist developers in modeling and simulating mission system configurations and functions in order to more effectively integrate systems and select optimal configurations for mission-specific deployment. If approved, Phase II will address the implementation, test, and delivery of the Tool Set prototype. The objective of this initiative is to develop a set of integration test tools, which will support vendor development and automate the verification of system-level software, hardware, and firmware conformance to HOST Standards. The innovation shall consist of a set of automated test software modules that can link to a candidate system and run complete diagnostic tests on the system to assure that its integrated functionality is conformant with HOST standards. The tool set will verify that the system is fully interoperable, scalable, upgradable, expandable, reliable, and sustainable. Specifically this initiative will develop requirements and architectures for modeling & simulating logical interfaces, environmental and mechanical performance, load distribution, and hardware component- and system-level configuration.
Benefit: The Integration Tool Set will provide decision support for integration engineers in the task of defining physical and logical hardware integration. It will support vendor development and automate the verification of system-level software, hardware, and firmware conformance to HOST Standards. It provides a set of automated test modules, developed within the framework of an approved suite of Automated Test System (ATS) tools that can connect to a candidate system and run complete diagnostic tests on the system to assure that its functionality is conformant with HOST standards, and is fully interoperable. Using advanced modeling & simulation techniques, the tool will give the integration/configuration engineer powerful data needed to optimize the system-level configuration to meet mission-specific needs. It will give the development engineer system- and module-level visibility to optimize the design of components. Additionally, it can be used to support vendor development and automate the verification of system-level software, hardware, and firmware conformance to HOST Standards. This Integration Tool Set will allow the cost-effective implementation of HOST standards throughout the industry, minimizing barriers to entry to all potential hardware and software developers.
Keywords: UPGRADABLE, UPGRADABLE, scalable, modeling and simulation of HOST system configurations, sustainable, interoperable, HOST Integration Tool Set, Hardware Open System Technologies (HOST), OpenVPX Core Technology Standards
