DAQ Status Report
K.Olchanski, olchansk@bnl.gov
25 Jan 1999
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Table of Contents
1. Hardware
2. Software: front ends
3. Software: back end
4. Software: database support
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1. Hardware
o
Network and serial connections: done, except for FB-3
o VME-1 (trigger/s.c.): operational since late String 1999
o VME-2 (camac): SBE-1 and 2 working, 3,4,5 and 6 installed, untested
o VME-3 (TPC): MTP1, T2 readout working, others not installed
o FB-1 (MRS- TPC cal cham TDCs): hw installed, PPC running, but not
connected to trigger
o FB-2 (FFS- TPC cal cham TDCs): hw installed, PPC running, but not
connected to trigger
o FB-3 (BFS- Drift Chamber TDCs): crate ready to be installed
o FB-4 (FEH): operational since late String 1999
o CA-1 (ZDC, BB, misc): operational since late String 1999
o CA-2 (H1): operational since late String 1999
o CA-3 (SI): empty crate installed, ready to be connected to SBE
o CA-4 (SI): empty crate installed, ready to be connected to SBE
o CA-5 (TOFW): crate with TDCs installed, ready to be connected
o CA-6 (TOFW): crate with TDCs installed, ready to be connected
2 Software Frontends_
o TPC readout: working since mid Fall 1999, "black" mode tested with cosmic rays readout, "compressed" mode tested but not used. Need to write code to automatically do pedestal runs and generate pedestal and threshold files. Critical performance tests done: data can be collected at 8 Mbytes/sec per single TPC in black mode, limited by ethernet transmitter performance (max theoretical data rate is 10 Mbytes/sec).
o Camac readout: working since late Spring 1999, need minor adjustments to improve robustness and reduce readout dead time.
o Fastbus L1885 ADC readout: working since late Spring 1999
o Fastbus L1879 (cal chm) and L1877 (d.c.) TDC readout: partially tested in the lab, need more field testing with expected number of TDCs installed.
o Fastbus readout: after upgrade from vxworks 5.3 to 5.4 uncovered data corruption during Fastbus L1876 TDC readout causing system stability problems. System currently usable, but need to further look into the problem before it is declared solved.
3_Software Back End
o Event builder status: currently usable, but not tested at full load
with all 4 TPCs running at maximum data rate. Support for writing
data to tape is incomplete.
o HPSS data link status: disconnected after an RCF network reconfiguration. Can now be reconnected. Software used to send data files to HPSS during the run could still be used, but is inadequate and needs to be rewritten.
o Run server status: usable. Trigger configuration and control have been integrated. Still need to implement TPC pedestal runs.
o User interface: usable. Need to implement a "run configuration" panel to start new runs and implement a simple electronic logbook (record text typed in by operators into the run log).
4 Software Database support
Started development of prototype Run database using MySQL. This will contain data on runs (including trigger configuration) and raw data files. The DB server will run on pii3 and data will be written into DB by scripts running on opus. Status: MySQL DB server installed and running on pii3, MySQL client software installed on opus.