One code wonder: why SimpleSwitch will change your software development process forever
It’s a truth universally accepted that the work of software developers is inextricably linked to the hardware their code will finally run on. So, when the hardware changes, so must the code. It’s what has always happened but doesn’t make the process any less frustrating when it comes to meeting tight go-to-market deadlines, or when suddenly your chosen compute modules are unavailable. In these difficult circumstances, developers have always had to suck it up and start from scratch or simply…wait.
But at Avnet Embedded we’re in the business of solving problems and creating value for our customers, so we spend a lot of time exploring ways to increase their efficiency – and in turn maximizing their profits. We have a lot of exploratory conversations and test a wealth of solutions to familiar issues. One day we asked, “what if hardware wasn’t such a consideration for software developers?” And the idea of SimpleSwitch was born. This new solution was something we were able to put into action relatively quickly because we already had the consistent compute standards in place from our time as part of MSC Technologies. Our own popular x86 and ARM® based SMARC modules have been built around those same standards.
The expert team from our in-house Software Technology Lab were then able to create the SimpleSwitch development environment, which makes it possible to transfer between these modules without having to change any code. And now SimpleSwitch comes as standard with these modules. But the very best way to describe what SimpleSwitch can offer is through the clear business benefits.
Speed, scale and success
Imagine you’re leading a software engineering team for a home appliance manufacturer and designing the latest generation of smart dishwashers. You’ll no doubt have a list of goals:
- Realize your maximum innovative software functionality
- Minimize development costs and time to market
- Work flexibly and have the ability to scale
- Meet new market demands
From an embedded compute perspective, you’re probably working on a largely theoretical basis, as you can’t test your application on every COM module. And you can’t test it on a chip-down solution because it doesn’t exist. So, instead of rebuilding the software application for every single potential environment, SimpleSwitch lets you build your application first, then use it universally on any of our Avnet Embedded SMARC modules, regardless of the chip architecture and processor. It’s a smart way of working that absolutely addresses a need for maximum functionality while still staying within budgets and competitive deadlines.
Meeting the demands of the future,
We are more than familiar with the pressure to meet expectations, stay ahead of the competition and grow market share. Bringing SimpleSwitch into your development process lets you take advantage of the latest in processing power and energy efficiency while still mitigating risks from supply chain disruption. This is particularly advantageous when you need to respond at speed to new market demands. For example, if you need to make swift improvements to a product that is already on the market or update a range to meet and exceed a competitor’s product capability.
SimpleSwitch gives development teams the power to adapt their current SMARC modules to different performance interfaces. They can react quickly, as availability changes, and software engineers can make the necessary adjustments to applications – such as introducing additional features – without having to completely start from scratch, building on their existing software. Equally, they could even move the software to an entirely new technology platform to take advantage of greater processing power, memory or speed.
In short, SimpleSwitch brings stability to uncertain environments and removes risk. It creates a safe starting point from which to cross-grade or upgrade your hardware without having to recode. And, importantly, it frees up time for innovation and growth.
Visit us at Embedded World in Nuremberg, Germany from 14-16 March to see SimpleSwitch in action using our custom-built smart tractor solution.
Or Get in touch today and discover how SimpleSwitch can change software development in your organization.
