An FPGA-based remote laboratory: Implementing semi-automatic experiments in the hybrid cloud

Abstract

An FPGA-based remote laboratory implemented in a hybrid cloud for semi-automatic FPGA-run experiments (SAFRE) is presented. The design file and the FPGA test flow file including the FPGA-run parameters are sent to the hybrid cloud to trigger the sequence of the following tasks automatically: the logic-synthesis, the logic-simulation, and the FPGA-run, with the video recording. In this way, the amount of the users works can be reduced. The user only prepares the high-level Verilog HDL description and a few FPGA device setup parameters. The remote laboratory manager which provides semi-automatic experiment service handles the rest of the works, and the FPGA-run results together with the live recorded video are returned to the user for further inspection/debugging. This semi-automatic experiment service eliminates many cumbersome user works. Each user can have an access to the remote laboratory though a web browser and communicate with the experiment task manager via the Web Services and the WebSockets. As the manager acts like an agent for the user and realizes the semi-automatic experiment, the user can concentrate on the high-level designs. The user can get the feeling of the exclusive and interactive use of an FPGA-based experiment platform, while allowing efficient sharing of the platforms at the same time. In case of the device usage conflicts, the task manager resolves the contentions by reallocating the platforms in both space- and time-division fashions.