CLR Run time with Mono .NET Framework on ARM-Linux

CASE STUDY SNAPSHOT

Customer : A Russian industrial automation major
Size : >51-200
Project vertical : Industrial Automation
Challenge : Run legacy windows .NET application on newly migrated Linux.
Solution : Port the .NET CLR with the Mono Framework and run without any application change.
Services & Products Availed :  Middleware Development, Embedded Application Development
Tools and Technologies :

• Key Hardware: Allwinner A20
• Software Development: C, .NET
• Frameworks: .NET

INTRODUCTION

A major Russian industrial automation company needed to migrate their legacy .NET applications from obsolete Windows CE devices to a modern ARM-Linux hardware platform. Embien provided a strategic porting solution, enabling their existing software to run seamlessly on the new hardware, saving immense time and development costs.

.NET Applications

CHALLENGE

The customer’s core product line was built on the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework running on Windows CE. With Microsoft ending support for this ecosystem, the company faced a critical challenge. Their new hardware was based on a modern ARM architecture running Embedded Linux, but their extensive, field-proven .NET application code could not run on it. A complete rewrite of the application in a new language or framework was deemed too expensive, time-consuming, and risky, as it would require re-validating years of complex industrial logic. They needed a way to preserve their significant software investment while migrating to a future-proof platform.

SOLUTION

Porting the .NET CLR with the Mono Framework

Embien was tasked with bridging the gap between the customer's legacy .NET software and their new ARM-Linux hardware. Instead of a high-risk application rewrite, we proposed a more efficient and powerful solution: porting the entire .NET runtime environment to the new platform.

Analyzing the Technology Gap

Our team first identified the core components. The customer's applications were written in C# and relied on the .NET Compact Framework, a stripped-down version of Microsoft's .NET framework for resource-constrained devices. This framework provides a Common Language Runtime (CLR), which is a virtual machine that executes the compiled .NET code. Since Microsoft only provided the .NET Compact Framework for its own Windows CE/Mobile operating systems, a direct migration was impossible.

The Mono Framework: A Cross-Platform Bridge

To solve this, Embien leveraged the Mono Framework, a powerful, open-source, and commercially supported implementation of the Microsoft .NET framework. Mono is designed to be cross-platform, allowing .NET applications to run on Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS. By porting Mono to the customer's specific hardware, we could create a compatible CLR environment on ARM-Linux.

Embien's Implementation Process

Our execution was methodical and comprehensive, ensuring an industrial-grade outcome:

1. Platform Enablement: The first step was to bring up a stable, optimized Embedded Linux OS on the customer's new ARM-based hardware (similar to our work on platforms like NXP i.MX6UL and Allwinner A20). This created a solid foundation for the layers above.
2. Porting the Mono Framework: Our engineers then cross-compiled the Mono framework source code for the target ARM architecture. This involved resolving dependencies, configuring the build system, and optimizing the framework for the specific hardware, ensuring efficient performance and a minimal footprint.
3. Creating a Stable CLR Runtime: Once ported, we established a robust CLR runtime environment. This allowed the customer's existing, compiled .NET application binaries to be executed on the ARM-Linux device without any modification to the application code itself.
4. Extending Functionality with Custom Libraries: A key value-add from Embien was extending the application's capabilities. The new hardware had unique features (such as specific GPIOs, industrial communication buses, and sensor interfaces) that the original application couldn't access. We developed custom low-level libraries in C for the Linux platform and created .NET wrappers for them. This exposed the new hardware functions to the legacy .NET application, allowing the customer's developers to easily add new features using their existing C# skills.
5. System Hardening and Delivery: The entire system was rigorously tested for performance, stability, and reliability to meet stringent industrial standards. We delivered the complete source code for the board support package (BSP) and the ported Mono framework, empowering the customer with full control over their product for future development and maintenance.

Benefits

By choosing Embien's porting solution, the customer realized transformative benefits:

• Preservation of Software Investment: They avoided a costly and high-risk rewrite, saving years of development and validation effort tied to their legacy application.
• Future-Proofed Hardware Platform: They successfully migrated from an obsolete, unsupported OS to a modern, robust, and long-term supported ARM-Linux environment.
• Accelerated Time-to-Market: The porting approach was significantly faster than a rewrite, enabling a much quicker launch of their next-generation industrial controllers.
• Enhanced Application Capabilities: The legacy software was not just preserved but enhanced, with the new ability to control modern hardware features through our custom libraries.
• Developer Continuity and Efficiency: Their existing .NET development team could continue working in their familiar C# environment, eliminating retraining costs and boosting productivity.

Conclusion

This project highlights Embien's deep expertise in overcoming complex cross-platform challenges and modernizing legacy embedded systems. By intelligently porting the .NET CLR using the Mono framework, we delivered a solution that protected our customer's most valuable asset—their software—while enabling them to innovate on a modern hardware platform. Our approach provides a strategic path for companies looking to extend the life of their software and stay competitive.

If your products are constrained by legacy software or obsolete operating systems, contact Embien. We can help you migrate to a modern platform while preserving your critical software investments.