NDS Firmware Future Proof?

Graham · December 15, 2021, 2:41pm

Based on Naim went through the pain of updating a 10yrs old platform to ensure Tidal et all would keep on working, so kit doesn’t go to the grave early, here are some of the issues we hit:

The chip manufacturer was out of business, so no new software stacks or support.

The module supplier no longer supported it.

The compiler ARM licence had expired and needed negotiation with ARM UK to make it work again. All automated systems were dead.

Nearly all engineers from that platform had moved on - luckily there was one key guy left.

The TLS https stack provider had gone out of business. We had to cut the old stack out and replace with WolfSSL and paid suitable fees. This was so TLS1.3 and latest cyphers will work when doing OAuth2.

Implement an OAuth2 stack on a codebase that has no concept of such things

Extend control API’s designed in 2009.

Update all the control apps.

Have to update Airplay2 to latest standard - not easy.

Soak up misc bugs and ensure we fix more than we break!

Full platform retest - about 22 product variants

rebuild jenkins build server (misc java components were failing on newer java versions), plus new signing certificates needed for installers

Overall, its tough stuff and the tech industry doesn’t last that long. Companies get brought, go out of business, software stacks go unsupported, tool chains stop working and so on.

Naim has built up a strong software team over the last 15yrs + have a lot of contacts in the industry to make the above happen.

Best wishes

Steve Harris
Software Director
Naim Audio Ltd.

So apart from that, it was easy?

Kudos to Naim for doing it.