A Dynamic Duo for Complex Embedded Environments
The world of embedded systems evolves, with devices growing ever more sophisticated and software-centric. In this new landscape, with highly interconnected environments that defy traditional testing and debugging approaches, a reactive, fire-fighting mentality is no longer sufficient. Developers need a proactive strategy to gain continuous visibility into system behaviour—a strategy known as observability-driven development (ODD).
ODD integrates observability, the ability to measure a system’s internal states, into every stage of the development lifecycle. By instrumenting embedded systems to collect comprehensive diagnostic data during execution, from logs and system traces to performance metrics, ODD empowers teams to detect anomalies, optimize performance, and ensure the long-term reliability and security of their products.
Bridging the Observability Gap with Percepio Detect
While the principles of ODD are powerful, putting them into practice can be a daunting task. This is where Percepio Detect steps in, providing a comprehensive solution to amplify the benefits of observability-driven development. Percepio Detect is the latest addition to Percepio’s portfolio of continuous edge observability tools, building on over a decade of insights and experience. It bridges the siloed views that often exist between development, testing, and post-deployment maintenance.
One of the key capabilities of Percepio Detect is its ability to capture full debugging information on production hardware without debug ports. When an issue is detected, Detect automatically collects a rich set of data, including Tracealyzer traces, device logs, performance metrics, and core dumps for code-level debugging. This ensures that teams can solve stability issues on the very first occurrence, without needing to reproduce them in a debugger.
But Percepio Detect goes beyond just reactive debugging. The tool’s monitoring capabilities run stand-alone on the device, designed to work without the need for continuous data transfer to a host computer. By continuously collecting and analysing performance metrics, Detect empowers teams to proactively identify potential risks and address them before they manifest into costly problems.
The Power of Collaboration and Continuous Observability
Percepio Detect is not just a powerful observability tool; it’s also a collaboration platform, with a shared database and dashboard that facilitate seamless information sharing across the entire team. This makes it easier for developers, testers, and maintenance crews to work together, sharing insights and accelerating the resolution of reported issues.
Furthermore, Percepio Detect’s optional CI integration allows for the automated collection of detected issues and performance metrics within existing continuous integration pipelines. This helps to embed observability into the development workflow, ensuring that ODD becomes a core part of the software delivery process.
When combined with Percepio’s cloud-based observability solution, DevAlert, Percepio Detect becomes part of a comprehensive continuous observability strategy. By instrumenting embedded systems during internal testing and QA, teams can later enable DevAlert at deployment with a minimum of effort, to maintain observability in the field.
Empowering the Future of Embedded Systems
As the complexity of embedded systems continues to grow, the need for observability-driven development becomes increasingly critical. Whether it’s preventing costly recalls in the automotive industry, ensuring the reliability of life-saving medical devices, or safeguarding the security of mission-critical aerospace systems, ODD is emerging as an essential development strategy.
By integrating Percepio Detect into their ODD workflows, teams can take their observability capabilities to the next level, realising the promise of ODD.