This article discusses how to configure an image to be synchronized with PEcloud.  This post assumes that:

• A PEcloud user account has been created and the unique credentials have been downloaded to the PC creating the programming images.  
  
  

• Cyclone programmers have been provisioned to the user’s PEcloud account and assigned to virtual factories as desired.

For the initial steps, a user may review the blog Getting Started with PEcloud to learn how to set up a PEcloud account and provision Cyclones to be ready to use.

All cyclone production programming images are self contained archives which hold all necessary information to flash program a target. This includes flash programming algorithms, application data (S-records, elf files, etc), programming steps, serial numbers, and other settings. All of this is wrapped into one encrypted file with data validation and authentication features.

Enabling cloud connectivity for an image doesn’t change the nature of a programming image. There are differences in how it is generated and how it executes compared to a non-connected image. 

When a cloud connected image is generated, two additional things always happen:

1. The Image itself is generated/encoded with information that ties its operation to a specified PEcloud Virtual Factory, and 

2. The Image metadata (descriptive information) for the image is uploaded to the PEcloud Virtual Factory automatically. As soon as the image is generated, its listing shows up in the Virtual Factory. 

Optionally, a third step happens if the Image Deployment is set to distribute via the PEcloud virtual factory : 

3. The Programming Image itself is uploaded to the virtual factory for distribution to authorized cyclones. This requires certain encryption settings. 

During programming image execution on a Cyclone  

• The Cyclone connects to the PEcloud as needed

• The Cyclone requests permission to program from the user’s PEcloud account, and

• After programming completes,  upload the programming results and log information to  the user’s PEcloud account.

The generation of a cloud connected image synchronizes it with a user’s PEcloud account. The image is securely tied to that account and will not work for any other user’s PEcloud account.   It also makes it possible to deliver these images via PEcloud to a Cyclone linked to the user’s PEcloud account if desired.

An Image is created in the Image Creation Utility and generated by the Image Deployment Manager:

Start by opening the Image Creation Utility and define all the necessary programming steps (e.g., algorithm, IP, Program, verify, set configuration bits, etc.).for a stand-alone programming image. These steps may be reviewed in Cyclone Tutorial: Generation of a Stand-Alone Programming Image  

Once all the desired programming steps are set, click ‘Build Image & Deploy’, which opens the Image Deployment Manager. This manager has three key configuration sections. 

1. Cloud-Connectivity: link the Image generated to a user’s PEcloud account. 

2. Image Deployment: (directly to the cyclone, locally to the PC, or delivery via PEcloud) .  

3. Optional Image settings:  Encryption and Usage Restrictions. 

Cloud Connectivity: Link to PEcloud

To connect the image to PEcloud, simply check the ‘Link image to a PEcloud Virtual Factory’. Select the credentials that were generated in the user’s PEcloud Account.  

Use the dropdown to choose which Virtual Factory the Image will be tracked in.  In this example the ‘East Coast Factory’ has been selected.  If no Virtual Factories have been created in the account, then ‘My Default Factory’ is the default option. 

Image Delivery

For this example, we will deliver the Image to the Cyclone directly.  

Once this is done, click ‘Deploy Image to Cyclone’.  It will bring up Cyclone Control GUI, and request the user to connect to the desired cyclone.  Once connected, Click ‘Apply Changes and Exit’ to save the image on the Cyclone.   

The programming image will be delivered directly to the Cyclone, and only the metadata, programming permissions, and any logged information will be uploaded and shown in PEcloud.   

In deployment manager, click the ‘View Online’ button to go to the virtual factory and see the Image metadata.  

In this example, the image with user IP has not been uploaded to PEcloud but directly into the Cyclone. 

Note: Direct delivery to a Cyclone does not require encryption. However, if using PEcloud for the image delivery, encryption of the image is required as well as matching Encryption keys that are pre-loaded onto the Cyclone.

Note: It may require a browser refresh to see the newly uploaded image in PEcloud.  

In the green box we can see the current status of the image.  In the job actions drop down, jobs can be paused, deleted, restarted, and see the programming logs.  

Important: A Cloud Connected image always requires the Cyclone to have internet access to contact the PEcloud for programming authorization. 

Setting up a PEcloud connected image is quick and easy, and it provides valuable insight into the production programming process. Please explore some of the related posts below to learn more.