OmniLab Android Test Station 2.0 upgrade guide

OmniLab Android Test Station (ATS) is the primary tool that developers and test engineers use to automate the testing of Android devices. OmniLab ATS provides an interface to manage devices, view results, and run test suites such as Compatibility Test Suite (CTS).

OmniLab ATS 2.0 is a major modernization of the station's engine. We migrated the underlying infrastructure to OmniLab, Google's modern, high-performance platform. This shift lets Android developers and test engineers use the same robust tools used by Google.

We encourage you to try ATS 2.0. It's available through a configuration flag, letting you benefit from improved performance and stability immediately.

Key benefits of OmniLab ATS 2.0

  • Modernized infrastructure: Leverages the OmniLab platform for improved stability and performance.
  • Seamless transition: No changes to the web UI or core test execution workflows.
  • Future ready: Aligns with Google's unified testing infrastructure, enabling faster adoption of new features.

New features

These features streamline your test operations:

  • Bulk update of test plans: You can configure multiple test plans at once by filtering them with labels. This lets you update custom schedules, test run actions, and resources across dozens of plans in a single step, reducing manual configuration time.

  • Improved multi-host and cloud deployment support: ATS 2.0 optimizes test scheduling, file transfer, and file caching to make the system robust, efficient, and flexible across multiple deployment modes.

Feature comparison: ATS 1.0 versus ATS 2.0

CapabilityATS 1.0ATS 2.0
Underlying engineTradefed and Tradefed clusterOmniLab platform, the Google standard device platform
UIMTT UIMTT UI
ScaleLocal and multi-hostLocal and multi-host; optimized for multi-host deployment
RetriesBasic retry rulesCustomizable retries, advanced retry scheduling
Virtual device supportSupport for local and cloud device farmsSupport for local and cloud device farms
Results processingTradefed basedOmniLab ATS based (shared with the CTS console)
APISupportedSupported

User experience changes

While most changes are internal, note the following behavioral updates:

  • Result directory: The output directory structure on your disk for test results has been updated due to the infrastructure change. However, you can still access these files through the Test Run dashboard.

    View output files

    Figure 1. View output files list.

  • Test logs: The test log structure has changed. You can see three log sources from one invocation: Tradefed xTS test generated logs (also in ATS 1.0), OmniLab server logs for device and test status, and Mobly test logs for V2 Mobly modules.

    ATS 2.0 log sources

    Figure 2. ATS 2.0 log sources: Tradefed xTS, OmniLab server, and Mobly test logs.

    If you run CTS with the dynamic download option turned on, OmniLab ATS automatically triggers MCTS tests in addition to CTS tests, and MCTS logs are also available in the Tradefed log section.

    MCTS test in test list

    Figure 3. MCTS test triggered by XTS dynamic download.

    MCTS logs in Tradefed log section

    Figure 4. MCTS logs in Tradefed log section, in addition to CTS logs.

Upgrade process

The upgrade is a flag-based software switch, so no reinstallation or hardware changes are required.

To enable the new version:

  1. Stop your current instance and restart with the force_ats_version 2 flag:

    mtt start --force_ats_version 2
    

    During the migration period, we recommend using the dogfood tag to access the latest validated build with ATS 2.0 features:

    mtt start --force_ats_version 2 --tag dogfood --force_update
    
  2. Optional: If you encounter issues with ATS 2.0, you can temporarily revert to ATS 1.0 by removing the --force_ats_version 2 flag or explicitly using --force_ats_version 1:

    mtt start --force_ats_version 1
    

Transition timeline

We're phasing out OmniLab ATS 1.0 in stages in 2026. Plan your migration accordingly:

  • 2026 Q1: ATS 2.0 is available to all developers and partners as an option.
  • 2026 Q2: ATS 2.0 becomes the default for an increasing number of developers and partners.
  • 2026 Q3: ATS 2.0 becomes the standard version for all developers and partners.
  • 2026 Q4: The legacy ATS 1.0 is retired and removed from production builds.

Temporary feature gaps

We're working to close the temporary feature gaps:

  • Interim test counts: While logs are live, interim pass and fail counts might not appear until the test is complete.
  • Session resumption: If the host machine restarts, a running test can't resume and you must start it again.

Support

If you encounter any issues during your upgrade, use these resources: