# Mender-validation: automatic integration checking

**URL:** <https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-validation-automatic-integration-checking/7218>\
**Category:** Board Integrations\
**Tags:** mender-client\
**Created:** [October 11, 2024, 2:41pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-validation-automatic-integration-checking/7218 "2024-10-11T14:41:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TheYoctoJester](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/hub.mender.io/theyoctojester/32/1444_2.png) [@TheYoctoJester](https://hub.mender.io/u/TheYoctoJester)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2024, 2:41pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-validation-automatic-integration-checking/7218/1 "2024-10-11T14:41:08Z")

</div>

# Motivation

Validating the boot loader integration of Mender is crucial for a robust product as it ensures seamless and secure firmware updates throughout its entire lifecycle. However, manual testing of this critical component can be time-consuming, error-prone, and impractical for complex systems. A more efficient approach is an automated test procedure that checks the various scenarios which the bootloader integration needs to handle. The [`mender-validation`](https://github.com/TheYoctoJester/mender-validation/tree/main) suite aims to provide an automated test procedure which not only saves time and resources but also provides a scalable solution for continuous testing and verification, making it an optimal choice for ensuring the reliability and integrity of throughout the full maintenance period of the product.

# Concept

The testing procedure for the bootloader integration is described in the [client integration checklist](https://docs.mender.io/client-installation/integration-checklist).

The [`mender-bootloader-validation.py`](https://github.com/TheYoctoJester/mender-validation/blob/main/mender-bootloader-validation.py) script tests the following functionality parts of the bootloader integration according to the above mentioned checklist:

- A/B switch
- A/B update
- A/B rollback

Requirements:

- the device must be able to reboot multiple times
- a writeable persistent storage area to keep the current state of the process. Currently, the implementation expects this to be `/data`.
- both A and B (active and inactive) partitions to be fully populated
- the script to be executable from both root filesystem partitions
- a functional `python3` installation including full standard libary

# Standalone / manual usage

For manual usage, it is recommended to place the script in the persistent storage mounted at `/data` so it is executable from both root filesystems.

Download the script:

```auto
cd /data
wget [https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mendersoftware/mender/master/support/modules-artifact-gen/single-file-artifact-gen](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/TheYoctoJester/mender-validation/refs/heads/main/mender-bootloader-validation.py)

```

Make the script executable:

```auto
chmod a+x mender-bootloader-validation.py

```

Run the script:

```auto
./mender-bootloader-validation.py

```

The script places its output in `/data/validation.log`. You need to reinvoke the script after it initiated a reboot, in the success case up to four times. Check the output in `/data/validation.log` to understand which checks have been carried out and what the results are.

In the success case, you should see the lines

```auto
INFO: __main__ :rollback test successful
...
INFO: __main__ :new step is end

```

This concludes a successful run of the bootloader integration test. If the log file ends in other messages, inspect the logged messages to identify actionable areas to complete your integraion.

# Automated usage (Yocto)

The `meta-mender-validation` layer provides the [`bootloader-validation`](https://github.com/mendersoftware/meta-mender-community/blob/scarthgap/meta-mender-validation/recipes-mender/bootloader-validation/bootloader-validation_0.1.bb) recipe which installs the `mender-bootloader-validation.py` script alongside a `systemd` service `mender-bootloader-validation.service` to automatically run the script upon device start up.

In order to use it, the following modifications of your existing Yocto build are required:

In `local.conf`:

```auto
MENDER_FEATURES_ENABLE:append = " mender-prepopulate-inactive-partition"
IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " bootloader-validation"

```

**The `mender-prepopulate-inactive-partition` feature requires using a `meta-mender` revision later than `3d6099368742f1a461fb0aa14eccd2284c98f3b2` or cherry-picking accordingly**

In `bblayers.conf`:

```auto
BBLAYERS ?= " \
  ${TOPDIR}/../meta-mender-community/meta-mender-validation \
"

```

**Make sure that the path of the `meta-mender-community` layer matches your local setup.**

The resulting image will reboot up to five times after flashing and powering up. Check the `/data/validation.log` file for results of the validation script.

# Automated usage (mender-convert)

TBD real soon 🙂

# Future improvements

- support for custom bootloader integrations beyond `mender-uboot` and `mender-grub`
- automated installation of a `systemd` service unit in the standalone/manual flow
- upload of the resulting log to a defined location
- … 🙂