x86 BIOS, UEFI and boot firmware solutions...

UEFI solutions

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is the next generation of boot firmware for x86 based hardware platforms. Originally defined by Intel for the first Itanium systems it is now managed by the UEFI Forum.

The UEFI specification defines a new model for the interface between personal-computer operating systems and platform firmware. The interface consists of data tables that contain platform-related information, plus boot and runtime service calls that are available to the operating system and its loader. Together, these provide a standard environment for booting an operating system and running pre-boot applications.

Many UEFI solutions are developed in C rather than assembly language which was traditionally used for the BIOS. This typically means that solutions can be brought to market more quickly and porting achieved faster than was previously possible.

Through our partnership with Insyde Software we are able to provide a high quality and supported UEFI solution tailored directly to your systems needs. For those customers that need something more than a simple free bootloader then Insyde Software's InsydeDiY product is a lightweight easy-to-implement set of firmware components. Benefits include reduced product development time, improved boot speed and a robust environment for running and managing pre-boot applications.

If a fully functional BIOS equivalent is required then Insyde Software's InsydeH2O is easier to use and more extensible than the decades-old PC BIOS it replaces. InsydeH2O enables PC manufacturers to achieve greater product differentiation, lower development costs and accelerate product rollouts. More details...

U-Boot and Coreboot open source firmware

"Das U-Boot", or U-Boot is a monitor program (bootloader) that supports PowerPC, ARM, MIPS and many other processor architectures. It is maintained by Wolfgang Denk and the other U-Boot custodians and is available with full source code under GPL. It is the default bootloader used by a number of board vendors including Freescale for the PowerPC processors and TI for OMAP and DaVinci processors.

Coreboot is a free software project that provides a alternative boot firmware for x86 platforms. Coreboot performs a minimal amount of hardware initialisation and then executes it's payload. These payloads include FILO and GRUB2 for loading Linux from a storage device, the Linux kernel itself or SeaBIOS which provides the standard BIOS bootstrap process for loading Windows or other operating systems.

If you are looking for a low cost alternative boot firmware solution then please contact our Professional Services team to see if U-Boot or Coreboot would be suitable for your project and the porting services we can provide.

ROM resident diagnostics for embedded platforms

kPOST, from Kozio, provides boot code, drivers, and all other software necessary to boot your hardware system's processor and execute the POST test suite. When completed, kPOST can copy, load and launch the final boot loader and application. An API provides you with access to full POST test results.

kPOST is delivered ready to run on your custom hardware. An example POST application that is easily modified is provided. This self-booting binary application is fully script-configurable for best test coverage and fastest boot time. kPOST is licensed at a fixed cost, with no per-unit royalties. More details...

Firmware security

Mocana NanoBoot performs pre-boot verification using strong cryptography to validate the BIOS, firmware, and boot loader images. NanoBoot can run in memory-constrained environments (depending on cryptographic configuration), requiring less than 8 KB uncompressed firmware space and less than 2 KB of RAM. When the device is powered up, NanoBoot verifies the device's signature, thereby ensuring that the device's firmware has not been altered.

NanoDefender, is a device-based intrusion detection system that is designed to instantly detect and shut down malware or viruses before they have a chance to spread throughout the network. NanoDefender approaches intrusion detection in a different way tracking function flow within the application and responding to unexpected function calls rather than relying on an attack database which needs to be constantly kept updated. More details...

Board bringup, porting and professional services

With a mixture of installation support, hands-on training and engineering services SDC Systems can create a bespoke BIOS or bootloader solution tailored to each individual clients needs. This allows our clients to focus on their hardware and application software development and shorten their time to market.

This can all be backed up with an individually tailored SDC Systems support contract giving the assurance of access to our highly talented team of engineers at the time when you need it most. More details...