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Important change — SBSA ACS rule-based execution

SBSA ACS has undergone a framework change to support specification rule-based execution and reporting. For details on using SBSA Specification rule IDs to run the latest SBSA binaries and to collate results per rule, see the Rule-Based Guide

Table of Contents

Server Base System Architecture

Server Base System Architecture (SBSA) specification specifies a hardware system architecture based on the Arm 64-bit architecture. Server system software such as operating systems, hypervisors, and firmware rely on this. It addresses processing element features and key aspects of system architecture.

For more information, download the SBSA specification

SBSA - Architecture Compliance Suite

SBSA Architecture Compliance Suite (ACS) is a collection of self-checking, portable C-based tests. This suite includes a set of examples of the invariant behaviors that are provided by the SBSA specification, so that implementers can verify if these behaviours have been interpreted correctly.

Most of the tests are executed from UEFI Shell by executing the SBSA UEFI shell application. A few tests are executed by running the SBSA ACS Linux application which in turn depends on the SBSA ACS Linux kernel module. The tests can also be executed in a Bare-metal environment. The initialization of the Bare-metal environment is specific to the environment and is out of scope of this document.

Release details

  • Code quality: BETA
  • Latest release version: v8.0.0
  • Release tag: v25.12_SBSA_8.0.0
  • Specification coverage: SBSA v8.0
  • Execution levels: Pre-Silicon and Silicon.
  • Scope: The compliance suite is not a substitute for design verification.
  • Prebuilt binaries: prebuilt_images/SBSA/v25.12_SBSA_8.0.0
  • Access to logs: Arm licensees can contact Arm through their partner managers.

For complete coverage of the SBSA rules

  • Availability of an Exerciser is required for Exerciser tests to be run during verficiation at Pre-Silicon level.
  • Both SBSA and BSA ACS should be run.

SBSA ACS version mapping

SBSA Spec Version ACS Coverage Mapping SBSA ACS Version SBSA Tag ID BSA ACS Version BSA Tag ID Pre-Si Support
SBSA v8.0 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v8.0.0 v25.12_SBSA_8.0.0 v1.2.0 v25.12_BSA_1.2.0 Yes
SBSA v7.2 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v7.2.2 v25.03_REL7.2.2 v1.1.0 v25.03_REL1.1.0 Yes
SBSA v7.2 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v7.2.1 v24.11_REL7.2.1 v1.0.9 v24.11_REL1.0.9 Yes
SBSA v7.1 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v7.2.0 BETA-0 v24.03_REL7.2.0_BETA-0 v1.0.8 v24.03_SBSA_REL7.2.0_BETA-0 Yes
SBSA v7.1 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v7.1.5 v24.03_REL7.1.5 v1.0.8 v24.03_REL1.0.8 Yes
SBSA v7.1 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v7.1.4 v23.12_REL7.1.4 v1.0.7 v23.12_REL1.0.7 Yes
SBSA v7.1 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v7.1.3 v23.11_BootFramework v1.0.6 v23.11_BootFramework Yes
SBSA v7.1 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v7.1.3 v23.09_REL7.1.3 v1.0.6 v23.09_REL1.0.6 Yes
SBSA v7.1 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v7.1.2 v23.07_REL7.1.2 v1.0.5 v23.07_REL1.0.5 Yes
SBSA v7.1 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v7.1.1 BETA-1 v23.03_REL7.1.1_BETA-1 v1.0.4 v23.03_REL1.0.4 Yes
SBSA v7.1 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v7.1.0 BETA-0 v23.01_REL7.1.0_BETA-0 v1.0.3 v23.01_REL1.0.3 Yes
SBSA v6.1 BSA ACS + SBSA ACS v6.1.0 v22.10_REL6.1.0 v1.0.2 v22.10_REL1.0.2 Yes
SBSA v6.0 SBSA ACS v3.2 v22.07_REL3.2 - - Yes
SBSA v6.0 SBSA ACS v3.1 v21.09_REL3.1 - - Yes
SBSA v5.0 SBSA ACS v2.5 v20.08_RELv2.5 - - Yes
SBSA v3.0 SBSA ACS v1.6 v18.12_REL1.7 - - No

GitHub branch

  • To pick up the release version of the code, checkout the corresponding tag from the main branch.
  • To get the latest version of the code with bug fixes and new features, use the main branch.
Prebuilt release binaries

Prebuilt images for each release, including v25.12_SBSA_8.0.0, are available in the prebuilt_images folder of the main branch.

Documentation and Guides

Note: The Bare-metal PCIe enumeration code provided with BSA ACS must be used and must not be replaced. It is essential for accurate analysis of test results.

SBSA build steps

UEFI Shell application

  1. Set up edk2 and the Arm toolchain by following the Common UEFI build guide.
  2. Trigger the SBSA binary generation with:
    source ShellPkg/Application/sysarch-acs/tools/scripts/acsbuild.sh sbsa
  3. The build emits Sbsa.efi under Build/Shell/<TOOL_CHAIN_TAG>/AARCH64/.

Linux application

  1. Peripheral, PCIe, and Memory Map tests that need an OS run through the ACS Linux application.
  2. Reuse the Common Linux application guide for build script usage and arguments.
  3. The SBSA artifacts are sbsa_acs.ko and sbsa_app under workspace/build/.

Baremetal application

The bare-metal build environment is platform-specific.
For details on generating binaries for bare-metal environments, refer to README.md.

SBSA run steps

For UEFI application

Silicon System

On a system with a functional USB port:

  1. Copy Sbsa.efi to a FAT-formatted USB device.
  2. In the UEFI shell, refresh mappings with:
    map -r
  3. Change to the USB filesystem (for example, fs0:).
  4. Run Sbsa.efi with the required parameters (see Common CLI arguments).
  5. Capture the UART console output to a log file for analysis.

Example

Shell> Sbsa.efi -v 2 -m PE,GIC -r S_L3GI_01 -f sbsa_results.log

Executes only the PE and GIC modules, runs rule S_L3GI_01, and writes the captured output to sbsa_results.log.

SBSA rule IDs follow the S_L<level><module>_<nn> pattern documented in SBSA checklist (for example, S_L3GI_01, S_L3PE_02).
Confirm the rule name and ACS level (1–7) in that checklist before applying -r or -skip.
Ensure EL3 firmware exposes the registers required by any modules you select with -m (for example, RAS, MPAM, or ETE).

Emulation environment with secondary storage

  1. Create a FAT image containing Sbsa.efi:
    mkfs.vfat -C -n HD0 hda.img 2097152
    sudo mount -o rw,loop=/dev/loop0,uid=$(whoami),gid=$(whoami) hda.img /mnt/sbsa
    sudo cp "<path to application>/Sbsa.efi" /mnt/sbsa/
    sudo umount /mnt/sbsa
    (If /dev/loop0 is busy, select a free loop device.)
  2. Load the image into the virtual platform or emulator using its documented backdoor method.
  3. Boot to the UEFI shell.
  4. Refresh filesystem mappings with:
    map -r
  5. Switch to the assigned filesystem (fs<x>:).
  6. Run Sbsa.efi with the desired parameters (see Common CLI arguments).
  7. Capture the UART console output for certification and debug reports.

For Linux application

  1. Copy sbsa_acs.ko and sbsa_app to removable media or the DUT.
  2. Boot into Linux and mount the media if required.
  3. Load the SBSA kernel module:
    sudo insmod sbsa_acs.ko
  4. Run the SBSA user-space application (see Common CLI arguments).
    ./sbsa_app
  5. Remove the SBSA kernel module after the run:
    sudo rmmod sbsa_acs

Application arguments

Refer to Common CLI arguments for the full flag list, and use the User Guide for additional context when constructing command lines.

Limitations

  • Validating the compliance of certain PCIe rules defined in the SBSA specification requires the PCIe end-point to generate specific stimulus during the runtime of the test. Examples of such stimulus are P2P, PASID, ATC, etc. The tests that requires these stimuli are grouped together in the exerciser module. The exerciser layer is an abstraction layer that enables the integration of hardware capable of generating such stimuli to the test framework. The details of the hardware or Verification IP which enable these exerciser tests are platform specific and are beyond the scope of this document.

  • The MPAM MSC PCC (ACPI Platform Communication Channel) support has been implemented but not yet verified on any platform. Please raise an issue if any failures or errors are encountered during the ACS run.

  • S_L8PE_06 requires BRBE to be enabled for Non-Secure EL2 (ENABLE_BRBE_FOR_NS) in TF-A; otherwise EL2 access to BRBE registers traps to EL3.

Tests dependencies

  • MPAM tests will require EL3 firmware to enable access to MPAM registers from lower EL's. If arm trusted firmware is used as EL3 fimrware, enable ENABLE_MPAM_FOR_LOWER_ELS=1 during arm TF build. If the above flags are not enabled, MPAM tests can lead to exception at EL3.
  • RAS test will require EL3 firmware to enable access to RAS registers from lower EL's and forward RAS related exceptions to lower EL's. If arm trusted firmware is used as EL3 fimrware, enable EL3_EXCEPTION_HANDLING=1 RAS_EXTENSION=1 HANDLE_EA_EL3_FIRST=1 RAS_TRAP_LOWER_EL_ERR_ACCESS=0 during arm TF build If the above flags are not enabled, RAS tests can lead to exception at EL3.
  • SBSA Future Requirements ETE test will require EL3 firmware to enable access to Trace registers from lower EL's. If arm trusted firmware is used as EL3 fimrware, ENABLE_TRF_FOR_NS=1 ENABLE_TRBE_FOR_NS=1 ENABLE_SYS_REG_TRACE_FOR_NS=1 during arm TF build If the above flags are not enabled, ETE tests can lead to exception at EL3.
  • MPAM test have dependency on MPAM, SRAT, HMAT, PPTT tables.
  • RAS test have dependency on AEST, RAS2, SRAT, HMAT, PPTT tables.
  • PMU test have dependency on APMT table.
  • Entrophy rule will require ACS to build with NIST-STS package

Note: To build the ACS with NIST Statistical Test Suite, see the arm SBSA_NIST_User_Guide Document

APIs Description Affected tests
pal_pcie_dev_p2p_support Return 0 if the test system PCIe supports peer to peer transaction, else 1 856, 857
pal_pcie_is_cache_present Return 1 if the test system supports PCIe address translation cache, else 0 852
pal_pcie_get_legacy_irq_map Return 0 if system legacy irq map is filled, else 1 850

Below exerciser capabilities are required by exerciser test.

  • MSI-X interrupt generation.
  • Incoming Transaction Monitoring (order, type).
  • Initiating transactions from and to the exerciser.
  • Ability to check on BDF and register address seen for each configuration address along with access type.

SBSA Test 803 (Check ECAM Memory accessibility) execution time depends on the system PCIe hierarchy. For systems with multiple ECAMs the time taken to complete can be long which is normal. Please wait until the test completes.

Feedback, contributions and support

License

SBSA ACS is distributed under the Apache v2.0 License.

Copyright (c) 2018-2026, Arm Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.