Edge servers upgrade to Raspberry Pi 4S compute module
Sfera Labs in Italy has expanded its Strato Pi CM family of compact Raspberry Pi-based servers to use the latest Compute Module 4S (CM4S).
The Strato Pi CM v3 and Strato Pi CM Duo v3 are aimed at industrial and IoT applications ranging from energy management and data collection to building automation and control of marine systems.
- Sfera Labs ships I/O module with Raspberry Pi RP2040
- Exo Sense edge system uses RP2040 microcontroller
Sfera Labs introduced the DIN-rail Strato Pi CM in 2018 followed by the Pi CM Duo, the first Raspberry Pi based device supporting dual SD cards, in 2019. These edge servers are often installed in remote locations and expected to have a very long service life yet where physical access to the devices is limited and expensive.
In these conditions, it is crucial to allow safe in-field software and firmware upgrades and to implement specific hardware features to recover from the most likely hardware and software issues.
The upgraded Strato Pi CM / CM Duo v3 versions are significantly more powerful than the CM 3+ and the older CM 3, which are all supported for back compatibility. These have enhanced protection of the RS-485 lines and a re-designed real-time-clock circuit with improved timekeeping accuracy and extended backup battery life.
Each product retains the same watchdog, isolated RS-485 port, and USB ports with independent power control and fault detection that has been built into previous generations of Strato Pi CM / CM Duo.
The Strato Pi CM and Strato Pi CM Duo include two USB ports that can be individually power-cycled and there is circuit fault protection and detection on each port. This provides the ability to turn off and back on an external USB-powered device under the module’s control should the device becoming locked, thus avoiding long downtimes and costly on-site maintenance.
The Strato Pi CM Duo has two microSD card slots and a high-speed switch matrix that allows the Raspberry Pi Compute Module to boot the operating system from either SD card while at the same time having full access to the other SD card for additional storage or to keep an up-to-date failover image of the operating system and data.
This architecture enables a full-image upgrade of the Pi’s operating system to be performed on one SD card while the system runs from the other. Following verification of the new image, the Strato Pi CM Duo can restart the Compute Module, booting from the second SD card. If the boot process is unsuccessful, it will safely roll back to the original SD card.
The firmware can also be upgraded remotely from the Pi itself, with the Raspberry Pi remaining fully functional during the upgrade, thanks to the pre-installed boot loader and our open-source utilities.
The Strato Pi CM and Strato Pi CM Duo include a Secure Element chip, enabling the storage of security keys and the implementation of other security features on a dedicated hardware device.
Both Strato Pi CM v3 and Strato Pi CM Duo v3 are ready to ship and can be ordered on the Sfera Labs online store or at mouser.com
www.sferalabs.cc/product/strato-pi-cm-duo/; www.sferalabs.cc/product/strato-pi-cm/
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
