Setup Guide

This guide explains the necessary steps to setup a new FlockLab testbed.
A FlockLab testbed consists of a server part and an observer part. The observers interact with the devices under test (targets) and locally store the test data. The server provides a user interface and is responsible for starting and stopping tests as well as fetching the test data from the observers.

Server

The FlockLab server must provide the following three components:

• test management
• database
• webpage

These components can either be on the same machine or distributed on separate servers.

Test management

• Copy the files to your test management server.
• Adjust the config file and copy it to the server.
• Adjust the path to the config file in flocklab.py.
• Install crontab to periodically call the scheduling and cleanup scripts.
• Install all required python packages.
• Make sure the user that runs the test management scripts has SSH access to all your FlockLab observers via public key authentication.

Database

• Create a MySQL-compatible database flocklab on your DB server.
• Use the provided template to create all necessary tables.
• Create the user flocklab_testmng and grant it access to the database flocklab.
• Start to populate the database tables: tbl_serv_observer, tbl_serv_architectures, tbl_serv_platforms, tbl_serv_tg_adapt_types and tbl_serv_tg_adapt_list.
• Make sure the database access credentials in flocklab_config.ini on the test management server are correct.

Webpage

• Copy the webpage files to your webserver.
• Adjust the path to the flocklab_config.ini file in include/config.php.
• Adjust the XML validation template xml/flocklab.xsd.
• Adjust the floor plan (pics/flocklab_floormap.png) and node positions (scripts/flocklab-observer-positions.js).

Note: you can use the update server script to copy the files to your test management and webserver (don't forget to adjust the HOST variable).

Observer

Hardware setup and calibration

A guide on how to prepare the observer hardware is available on request.

BeagleBone Green setup

1. Download the latest Debian 9 flasher image (console version is sufficient) from eLinux (monthly builds) or beagleboard.org (releases). Use e.g. Balena Etcher to write the image to a microSD card.
2. Insert the microSD card and press and hold the user button while powering up the BeagleBone until all 4 LEDs are on. The Debian image will then be flashed onto the eMMC (takes ~10 minutes). After completion, the BeagleBone will shut down (all LEDs off).
3. Replace the flasher SD card with an empty one (formatted to ext4).
4. Make sure the network connectivity to the BeagleBone works.
5. Clone the repository to your computer and run the basic setup script: cd observer/debian && ./setup_system.sh [beaglebone_address]
6. Adjust the parameters in the following scripts:
   • HOSTNAME in the ping watchdog script
   • HOSTPREFIX and OBSIDS in the observer update script
   • Replace the public key in debian/config/user with your own.
7. Run the main setup script to install all required packages, tools and scripts on the BeagleBone: ./setup_observer.sh [beaglebone_address]
8. Pair the BeagleBone with a FlockLab 2 cape and install the correct calibration files. Don't forget to also connect the cape to the BB with a microUSB cable (you can use the one that comes with the BB).

Alternative setup procedure with RocketLogger 2.0 software

1. Clone the latest RocketLogger repository to your computer and switch to the branch flocklab.
2. Navigate to the directory software/system and follow the setup guide ("Remote Setup").
3. After the remote setup you should be able to login to the device via SSH:

   ssh -i setup/user/rocketlogger.default_rsa -p 2322 flocklab@[ip-addr]

4. Continue by installing all FlockLab-specific files and dependencies by running setup_observer.sh from the rl2.0 branch in the FlockLab observer repository.