cRIO: Booting and working from image in a USB key

[i.ayestaran]

Hi,

due to constraining intelectual property reasons, the client I work for needs to implement a cRIO in which the internal hard disk is NOT used. The idea is to make an image of the internal disk of the cRIO on a USB key, and then modify the BIOS to make it boot from the USB key. This way, the client would be able to unplug the USB key from the cRIO when needed, in order to ensure they do not leave any trace inside the cRIO.

We are wondering whether this is possible, and how.

We are working with the cRIO-903x family (in this case it's a cRIO-9034).

Any help?

[scotia673]

This is not something that NI tests or documents, so I don't think we can provide any explicit guidance on this. Have you explored any alternatives to this setup? Presumably, the USB is wiped and/or stored between uses - could they use this approach with the controller itself instead? 

[i.ayestaran]

Yes, the USB will be stored between uses. Disconnecting and storing the whole controller would not be a plug&play alternative. Furthermore, the cRIO is housed inside a rack, so it is not so straigthforward to take it out.

[scotia673]

I see - that makes sense. Would it be possible to design the system such that sensitive data was recorded only on the USB key?