Strato Pi Max: open platforms for industrial innovation

Open platforms, widely known and supported by vibrant communities, offer a plethora of benefits that drive innovation, enhance reliability, and promote security. Sfera Labs latest product, the Strato Pi Max, embodies this philosophy by offering a robust and flexible solution built on the widely recognised Raspberry Pi platform.

Here, Giampiero Baggiani, Co-Founder and Head of Software Development at Sfera Labs, speaks about how open platforms, like the Raspberry Pi, are driving innovation in industrial applications by offering flexibility, reliability, and security.

The power of open platforms

Open platforms, such as the Raspberry Pi ecosystem, provide unparalleled advantages for application development. These platforms are bolstered by a vast and active community, delivering a wealth of resources, including software frameworks, integrated development environments (IDEs), and a myriad of tools that streamline the development process. This community-driven support not only accelerates innovation but also ensures a robust and continuously evolving ecosystem.

As someone who has extensively worked in software development, system integration, and automation, I've witnessed firsthand the transformative impact that open ecosystems can have on development efficiency, security, and scalability.

One of the fundamental principles I often emphasise about cryptography, a field that is crucial to security, is that cryptographic protocols must be open, widely known, and thoroughly studied to ensure security. This principle extends beyond cryptography to the platforms we choose for building secure and reliable systems. The open nature of these platforms means that they are continually scrutinised and improved by a global community of developers and security experts, leading to more secure and trustworthy solutions. This stands in stark contrast to the proprietary, legacy technologies often favoured in the industrial and professional markets, which can suffer from a lack of transparency and flexibility.

Furthermore, the familiarity and previous experience that many developers have with these platforms can be reused, significantly reducing the learning curve and speeding up the development process. This familiarity extends across various industries, where more and more professionals are recognising the benefits of these open platforms for their projects.

Raspberry Pi: from hobbyist to industrial powerhouse

Although Raspberry Pi is often associated with hobbyist projects, its potential for industrial use is immense. The Raspberry Pi Foundation provides extensive support, resources, and documentation tailored for professional applications. This journey mirrors the evolution of Linux, which began as a hobbyist project and has since become a cornerstone for enterprise IT infrastructure worldwide.

By leveraging the Raspberry Pi ecosystem, developers gain access to powerful CPU-based products and microcontroller-based solutions like the RP2040 or Pico board. The broad availability of software, frameworks, and tools for these platforms simplifies development and integration, making them an excellent choice for both prototyping and deployment of industrial applications. The shift from proprietary systems to open platforms is gaining momentum in the industry, as companies recognise the benefits of flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and community support that open platforms offer. The Raspberry Pi, with its balance of affordability and performance, is at the forefront of this shift, providing a reliable foundation for building advanced industrial solutions.

Strato Pi Max: a new benchmark for industrial solutions

The Strato Pi Max exemplifies the power of combining open platforms with innovative design. Based on the Raspberry Pi Compute Module and the RP2040 microcontroller, it offers a dual CPU/microcontroller architecture that brings together the best of both worlds.

The Compute Module excels at running resource-intensive, full-stack applications and interfacing with cloud services, with the Strato Pi Max's secure element chip ensuring protected storage of authentication certificates and secure integration with IoT platforms. The RP2040 microcontroller, handles low-level, real-time, safety-critical logic, and monitors the Compute Module to ensure it does not become unresponsive. In case of a failure, the RP2040 can hard-reset the Compute Module, ensuring service continuity without manual intervention. This architecture ensures that critical tasks are handled efficiently while maintaining system reliability.

Strato Pi Max offers different storage options with built-in redundancy, alongside a wide range of expansion boards, including an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) expansion board. This makes it a robust solution for critical applications where reliability is paramount. The inclusion of storage redundancy ensures data integrity and availability, even in the event of hardware failures, while the UPS guarantees uninterrupted operation during power outages.

Another standout feature of Strato Pi Max’s dual CPU/microcontroller architecture is its low-power mode, where only the RP2040 runs, waking the Compute Module only when necessary, such as when triggered by external events. This feature is crucial for energy-efficient operations in remote solar/battery-powered deployments. It ensures that the system remains operational while conserving power, making it ideal for applications in remote monitoring and IoT solutions.

Our standard firmware and Linux drivers implement all safety, security, fault-tolerance, and power management features. They enable seamless cooperation between the Compute Module and the RP2040, providing easy access to all peripherals, including digital and analog inputs and outputs, serial and bus interfaces, and wireless connectivity.

The firmware and software can be customised by Sfera Labs or by users themselves, leveraging the extensive resources available for the Raspberry Pi ecosystem. This makes development fast and easy, allowing for tailored solutions that meet specific needs.

Furthermore, Strato Pi Max supports full-system (firmware, OS, software) unattended over-the-air (OTA) updates, ensuring that your systems are always up-to-date with the latest features and security patches without the need for manual intervention. This capability is essential for maintaining system security and functionality, especially in distributed deployments, reducing downtime and operational costs.

Versatility and effectiveness in industrial applications

Products from the Strato Pi line have already made significant inroads into various industrial applications, from residential to commercial infrastructures, from marine to aerospace projects. Their ability to handle real-time data processing, integrate with cloud services, and ensure continuous operation through robust failover mechanisms makes it an invaluable asset for modern industrial environments.

For development teams, the advantages of using a product based on open platforms like the Raspberry Pi have proven to be invaluable. Open platforms provide access to a vast array of resources, including comprehensive documentation, active community forums, and a wealth of pre-existing software tools. This collective knowledge base accelerates problem-solving and innovation, allowing development teams to focus on optimising and refining their applications rather than reinventing the wheel.

By leveraging open platforms, Sfera Labs products offer a powerful and adaptable solution that empowers development teams to innovate efficiently. The ability to customise and expand upon existing frameworks speeds up the development cycle and allows for more precise tailoring of the system to specific needs. Whether it's deploying new features, integrating advanced analytics, or ensuring robust security protocols, open platforms provide a scalable and reliable foundation that supports the dynamic nature of modern industrial applications.

The path forward with open platforms

Open platforms are not just a trend; they represent a fundamental shift in how technology is developed and deployed. The benefits of transparency, easily accessible support, and continuous innovation make open platforms an ideal choice for the future of industrial applications. Just as Linux has grown from a niche project to a global standard, open hardware platforms like the Raspberry Pi are poised to revolutionise industrial computing.

At Sfera Labs, we are committed to championing this shift. The Strato Pi Max is more than just a product; it is a testament to our belief in the power of open platforms to drive innovation and excellence in industrial solutions. By choosing Sfera Labs solutions, you not only benefit from a vibrant community and extensive resources but also align with a future-proof strategy that embraces transparency, security, and continuous improvement together with our professional support, which is probably our best product.