Artesyn MOTLoad Firmware Package User's Manual (February 2015) - Manual (Page 19)

Chapter 1
MOTLoad Firmware Package User’s Manual (6806800C24D) 19
Introduction
1.1 Overview
MOTLoad is a PowerPC firmware package developed for Artesyn’s Single Board Computers
(SBCs). The first boards using MOTLoad employ a Marvell GT64260A bridge. Subsequent
products will use MOTLoad in conjunction with the most recent industry designed bridge
devices. MOTLoad is continuously being developed and extended to support newly developed
Artesyn products. When new features are added and changes are made, this document will be
updated.
The main purpose of the MOTLoad firmware package is to serve as a board power-up and
initialization package, and to serve as a vehicle from which user applications can be booted.
Although MOTLoad was not specifically designed as a diagnostics application, the test suites
and the individual tests (with their various options) provide the user with a significant amount
of information that can be used for debug and diagnostic purposes. To use the MOTLoad
firmware package successfully, the reader should have some familiarity with the product and
firmware methodology.
MOTLoad is controlled through an easy to use, UNIX-like, command line interface. Its format
was designed with the application-oriented needs of the end user in mind. Consequently, the
MOTLoad software package is similar to that of many end-user applications designed for the
embedded market, such as the currently available real-time operating systems. Functionally,
this design allows MOTLoad to detect typical system level product devices.
1.1.1 MOTLoad Implementation and Memory Requirements
The implementation of MOTLoad and its memory requirements are product specific. Each of
the Artesyn SBCs are offered with a wide range of memory (for example, DRAM, external
cache, and flash). Typically, the smallest amount of onboard DRAM that an SBC has is 32 MB.
Each supported Artesyn product line has its own unique MOTLoad binary image(s). Currently
the largest MOTLoad compressed image is less than 1 MB. During board initialization, the
MOTLoad image is decompressed into DRAM, where it executes. A MOTLoad decompressed
image can be as large as 2.5 MB.
1.1.2 MOTLoad Commands
MOTLoad supports two groups of commands (applications): utilities and tests. Both types of
commands are invoked from the MOTLoad command line in a similar fashion. Beyond that,
MOTLoad utilities and MOTLoad tests are distinctly different.