New Azure-RTOS for STM32 MCU and MPU webinar Q&A - Part 1

[Tilen MAJERLE]

Following our New Azure-RTOS webinar for STM32 MCU and MPU, we are posting below questions and answers received during webcast.

Webinar link

https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/about/events/events.html/new-azure-rtos-and-stm32-mcus-and-mpus.html

Azure-RTOS integration for STM32H7 beta release:

https://community.st.com/s/question/0D53W00000S6aWoSAJ/azure-rtos-integration-in-the-stm32cube-ecosystem-beta-delivery-on-github

Questions posted below are as they were received during webcast.

Does Azure RTOS have a cmsis RTOS api?

Azure RTOS does not provide cmsis-RTOS api natively. with st delivery, we will provide cmsis-RTOS api on top of threadx

Do you support mqtt protocol based on your tcpip stack?

Mqtt support is part of Azure RTOS netx package

The example projects shown are compiled into stm32cubeide, but i have not seen the .ioc project files.

how is it possible to create a project in stm32cubeide without going through the stm32cubemx?

To start the project with stm32cubeide, .ioc file is not required. with official release of Azure RTOS package, examples will include .ioc file, allowing customers to modify the project in graphical editor.

Does usbx handle files on usb?

Usbx host middleware supports msc for file storage

Where are the user threads defined?

Threads are defined with the standard way as any other operating system. entry function and thread handled are necessary to be provided by the application

How hard is to migrate a project from freeRTOS to Azure RTOS?

Azure RTOS threadx provides freeRTOS api for easier migration, while st Azure RTOS deliveries will also provide cmsis-RTOS api on top, to support our customers using cmsis-RTOS api

Can Azure RTOS devices be securely connected to cloud services like aws iot core?

Yes, Azure RTOS provides necessary security features to implement secure connectivity, thanks to netx duo and its security implementation

Is Azure configurable via cubemx

Azure RTOS will be configurable via stm32cubemx with official release of Azure RTOS package coming from st, first for stm32h7 series in 2021 q1

Which is the difference between this RTOS and cmsis RTOS?

RTOS is generic operating system, while cmsis-RTOS is standard for consistent api between different operating systems.

You said you actually support iar: will you provide support for keil too, in the final release?

Official support will be available for iar, keil or gcc-based compilers, including stm32cubeide.

Is mqtt support available? i am interested in secure mqtt

Mqtt support is part of Azure RTOS netx package

Is there any RTOS debug utility?

Stm32cubeide will have support for Azure RTOS aware debugging with version 1.6 expected to be available w08 2021

If i use cloud, does it have to be Microsoft Azure if i want to use Azure RTOS?

No. you can use whatever cloud solution you wish. netx tcp/ip stacks are fully generic with no dependency over a specific cloud solution

What will happen with current st middleware offer, freeRTOS, lwip, usb host and device and fatfs?

Existing offers will remain

Can i use Azure RTOS for my commercial application for free?

Yes. st obtained from Microsoft a license to grant free production on any stm32 device

What are the technical advantages of Azure RTOS compared to other open source solutions such as zephyr RTOS?

Azure RTOS middleware is not only much more featured on tcp/ip stack, usb or file system, but it also want through significant industrial and medical safety certifications: the code is very high quality

Is Azure free to use ?

Yes. for any stage, from evaluation to production

Avantage vs freeRTOS ?

Integrating Azure RTOS in the stm32cube ecosystem is the next step to further increase its quality level. Azure RTOS brings better performance, a richly featured and consistent sw solution, full industry certifications, and an overall whole new reliability and quality level honed and proven by many successful years in the embedded market, including the most stringent one such as industrial or medical.

Will Azure RTOS replace the exesting free RTOS., or stand it besides free RTOS?

While existing freeRTOS is kept, the trend is to go towards Azure RTOS. freeRTOS will be supported but with less focus.

Is a do-178c qualification of the RTOS is planned?

Stm32 is not targetting avionics standards

Is there a charge for Azure RTOS and middleware or licensing fees etc?

No. it is free

Does this include any of the security functionality that is being delivered by Azure sphere - or how can this be integrated into sphere if possible?

No; Azure sphere is a totally different class of service requiring a different class of devices

Does the Azure RTOS offering contain any middleware for tls support? is that part of netx?

Yes. this is part of netx/netx duo

When will Azure RTOS and cubemx integration be available for stm32f4?

Azure RTOS will be enabled with stm32cubemx for stm32f4 series in q2 2021.

Is Azure RTOS tightly coupled with Azure cloud, or these are separate things and RTOS driven microcontroller works independently?

The two offers are completely separate

We have rich experience with stm32 with freeRTOS and connectivity to aws.

what is the impact of the move towards Azure-RTOS? 

will freeRTOS be supported on the long term? 

are there license-wise-issues when using Microsoft's solution in combination with the aws cloud?

While existing freeRTOS is kept, the trend is to go towards Azure RTOS. freeRTOS will be supported but with less focus. there is no license issue at all using Azure RTOS middleware with aws cloud

Could you please clarify which software(if any will be deprecated) as a result of the Azure RTOS migration?

No full deprecation of stm32cube current middleware offer per se. these middleware stacks will enter a light maintenance phase (st github only), depending on the enablement of Azure RTOS on a per-stm32 series basis.

Can the new middleware components, filesystem, ip-stack, ..., also be used with other RTOSes?

Yes, stm32 users can use Azure RTOS middleware stacks with any RTOS.

Is guix also included in the free to use license with stm32? when will be first guix examples available?

Yes, guix is part of the free to use azur RTOS offer and it is free to use on any stm32 product. guix can be downloaded at this link: https://github.com/Azure-RTOS/guix

Did you give any advantages of Azure over µcos, or RTOS for instance?

Various benchmarks will be made available by Microsoft in the future.

What documentation is available to help a project support a claim that the code meets sil4, asil d, etc.?

Azure RTOS is pre-certified for many industrial and medical standards, such as iec 61508 sil4, iec 62304 class c and iso 26262 asil d.

the corresponding safety artifacts and manuals are not distributed by st for free. stm32 users interested in getting them shall get a commercial license from Microsoft directly

Do you have any intentions to include zephyr RTOS into the ecosystem?

St is currently making sure stm32 series are enabled in the zephyr framework, but currently there is no plan to integrate it into the stm32cube environment.

Comparison freeRTOS and Azure RTOS. why change?

Integrating Azure RTOS in the stm32cube ecosystem is the next step to further increase its quality level. Azure RTOS brings better performance, a richly featured and consistent sw solution, full industry certifications, and an overall whole new reliability and quality level honed and proven by many successful years in the embedded market, including the most stringent one such as industrial or medical.

Will touchgfx support Azure? and if, natively or by adaption layer?

Touchgfx is os independent application software. it can work easily with any os including Azure RTOS

[GC.Selene]

Hi Tilen, thank you for the super useful list of Q & A.

You say: "with st delivery, we will provide cmsis-RTOS api on top of threadx"

Any clue as to when we can expect CMSIS-RTOS v2 to be fully integrated in the CubeMX?

Many thanks to you and the whole ST team 😊

KR

Giuseppe