Do you need help with DevOps? Do you even know what the term means?

If you’re developing for the embedded space, you need to understand this technology. DevOps can be defined as a technique with the goal to automate any processes that occur between software development and IT teams, resulting in reliable software that can be built, tested, and released in a timely manner. This sounds obvious, but those aforementioned teams haven’t always worked well together.

By eliminating the need for physical hardware during development, simulation using virtual models can accelerate development and transform the way that developers operate. Namely, they can conduct automated testing much sooner in the development cycle and perform both testing and debugging during the design and prototyping phases. Team members have unlimited access to virtual hardware, providing new methods of collaboration throughout the development process.

To help facilitate the DevOps process, Wind River released a new version of its Simics product. According to the company, it includes new features that deliver performance improvements, security enhancements, and greater insights while actively running simulations. As a result, users can design and test complex scenarios that are very difficult to replicate using traditional methods. In short, using virtual platforms that can accurately model actual hardware, Simics permits functional simulation of any size system, from chips to complex “system of systems.”

Specifically, improvements can be seen in simulation times due to an improved third-generation thread scheduler, better memory allocation, and enhancements around the integration and execution of SystemC components. In addition, it’s now easier to build and maintain new models. Enhancements include DML language-level updates and first-class support for hierarchical objects, which enables easier integration of SystemC modules. Additional model consoles offer more system insight and simulation control options.

Another key feature is that simulation with Simics enables more comprehensive security testing. Simics contains an exceptional cyber test bench for simulating an unlimited number of attack vectors, which can significantly reduce security vulnerability exposure.