ACNET vs EPICS at Fermilab Accelerator Physics and Technology Seminar Sharon Lackey 3/14/2006.

ACNET vs EPICS at FermilabACNET vs EPICS at Fermilab

Accelerator Physics and Technology Seminar

Sharon Lackey

3/14/2006

ACNET vs EPICs at Fermilab 2

Special Thanks to:Special Thanks to:

Ned Arnold – APS Fritz Bartlett – D0 Dennis Nicklaus – AD/Controls Jim Patrick – AD/Controls Charlie Briegel – AD/Controls Brian Hendricks – AD/Controls


EPICSEPICS

What is EPICS What EPICS is not Who uses EPICS Comparison of EPICS and ACNET Other Solutions The Future


EPICS is …EPICS is …

Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System A toolkit that Allows a Controls System to be built with

configuration rather than programming A set of tools with well defined interfaces Written and Maintained by a Collaboration of Controls

groups Client/Server based Distributed, Two Tiered Architecture Allows Communication between any two points Limited primarily by Network Bandwidth Written in C and C++

*Courtesy of N. Arnold ACNET vs EPICs at Fermilab 5

What is EPICS? *What is EPICS? *

Any tool/program/application that abides by the Channel Access protocol could be described as “EPICS Compliant”.

My Accelerator Simulator

Code(PVs)

CAS

My Special Data

Collection Program

CAC

EPICS can be viewed as a “toolkit” of EPICS compliant programs. One can select the appropriate tool for their need or develop their own.

StripTool MEDM

CACCAC

iocCore(PVs)

LabView(PVs)

CAS CAC CAS CAC


CA Clients may run on:

Unix, Windows, VxWorks or VMS

VME,VXI, PCI, ISA, or embedded processors

Servers running under:

VxWorks, RjTEMS, Solaris, Linux, Windows,

Ethernet TCP/IP & UDP


EPICS IS…EPICS IS… EPICS Core:

Channel Access Client and Server

Process Database Scanners Monitors Database Configuration Tools Build Tools Source/Release

EPICS Extensions: GUI Builders:

• EDD/DM (LNAL)• MEDM (ANL)• EDM (ORNL)• DM2K (BESSY)• JoiMint (DESY)

Alarm Handler

Channel Archiver Sequencer (State Machine) BURT (Back up and Restore Tool) Gateway APIs

• Python• LabVIEW• TCL/TK

Data Display Tools• ADT (Array Display Tool)• StripTool (Strip Chart Plotting

Tool)• Yviewer (Data Visualization

Tool) Database

Configuration/Management Tools• DCT (Tcl/Tk – deprecated)• GDCT (Graphical – deprecated)• JDCT (Java)• VDCT (Visual)• CapFast (Commercial schematic

capture Tool… More we won’t mention…

*Courtesy of F. Bartlett ACNET vs EPICs at Fermilab 8

Inside a VME IOC *Inside a VME IOC *

Ethernet LAN

Channel Access

Database Access

Record Support

Device Support

Driver

VME

Scanners

DB Load

IOC Database

CustomizingElements

*Courtesy of N. Arnold ACNET vs EPICs at Fermilab 9

Channel Access Server

Channel Access in One Slide *Channel Access in One Slide *

CA Server

CA Client

Process Variables:

S1A:H1:CurrentAO

S1:P1:x

S1:P1:y

S1:G1:vacuum

Channel Access Client

Who has a PV named “S1A:H1:CurrentAO”?

I do.

What is its value?

25.5 AMPS

Change its value to 30.5

“connection request” or “search request”

OK, it is now

30.5

30.5 is too high. It is now set to the maximum value of 27.5.

You are not authorized to

change this value

Notify me when the

value changes

It is now 20.5 AMPS

It is now 10.5 AMPS

It is now -0.0023 AMPS

“put” or “caPut”

“get” or “caGet”

“set a monitor”

“post an event”or

“post a monitor”

“put complete”

or

or


EPICS is NOT…EPICS is NOT…

A Control System “in a box” The total solution for all your controls needs Going to allow you to get rid of the controls dept. & all

programming Object Oriented


Channel Access RecordsChannel Access Records Analog

Input (double float) Output Long Input (32 bit integer) Long output

Binary Input Out Multi-bit Input (16 bits) Multi-bit Output Multi-bit Input Direct (16 bit integer to char[16] ) Multi-bit Output Direct ( char[16] to 16 bit integer)

Archive

Calculation Calculation Out Compression CPID and PID fanout and dfanout (data fanout) Event (hardware int. handler) Histogram Permissive (client-server

communication) Pulse

Counter (counts pulses) Delay (generates pulses) Train (generates pulse trains)

Scan (used to scan detectors)


Channel Access RecordsChannel Access Records Select (12 input mux) Sequence (triggers up to 10 other records and sends values) State ( ASCII string representing the current state of a state program ) Stepper Motor String

Input Output

Array Waveform Sub Array ( reads part of a waveform)

Subroutine (calls a C routine with up to 12 input links) Timer ( drives an output to latch data) Wait – obsolete, replaced by calc out


Who Uses EPICS ? (an incomplete list)Who Uses EPICS ? (an incomplete list)

SNS & ORNL JLAB APS & ANL LBL LANL DESY BESSY CosyLab Kinetic Systems Intuit FNAL (D0 & SMTF)


Comparison of EPICS and ACNETComparison of EPICS and ACNET

ACNET 3 Tiers Central Services Client/Server Uses UDP Uses Multicasts Multiple protocols

• Snapshot• FTP• Data acquisition

(RetDat/SetDat)• Network (Acnet)

Single Site • More Control• Less help

Lots of Specialized User Applications

Limited to Six Character Names FTDs

EPICS 2 Tiers Distributed Services Client/Server Uses TCP/IP Uses Broadcasts Single protocol

• Data Acquisition (Channel Access)

Collaboration• More Help• Less Control

One GUI Application can be used to create many displays

Names can be very long Data scan rate set in database

*Courtesy of J. Patrick ACNET vs EPICs at Fermilab 15

ACNET Control System Overview *ACNET Control System Overview *

ConsoleApplications

CentralServices

IRMFront-Ends

JavaApplications

WebApplications

MOOCFront-Ends

LabviewFront-Ends

Open AccessClients

Field Hardware

ethernet

CAMAC, VME, PMC, IP, Multibus, CIA, GPIB, …

field bus: VME, SLD, Arcnet, ethernet, …

Servlets Database

Application

Central

Front-End


EPICS Use at FermilabEPICS Use at Fermilab

D0 slow controls Using EPICS since beginning of Run 2 Extended EPICS by:

• Adding support for new device types• Added Global Event reporting system• Added a Central Database• Added support for MIL/STD1553B bus• Detector configuration tool

Proton Driver Plans to use EPICs

Meson Test Facility Using EPICS, DOOCs and ACNET


OAC

Local Applications

Application 1

ACNET on One Slide ACNET on One Slide

Central Services

Console

Database Entries

SQL Server

Front Ends

Data Pool Manager

Read M:OUTTMP

What is its value?

Already getting this data?

No

MOOC

I’ll get the info and calculate the value

Retdat/Setdat Client

Application 2

SQL Client RetDat/SetDat Client

Retdat/Setdat Server

Methods

MOOCRetdat/Setdat

ClientRetdat/Setdat

Server

Methods

Local Applications

MOOCRetdat/Setdat Client Retdat/Setdat Server

MethodsLocal Applications

ConsoleRead C:LUMIN


Meson Test FacilityMeson Test Facility

EPICS used for Cryogenics Controls interface to Siemens-Moore PLCs Implemented in Software IOCs on the PCs that run the APACS+

software Communicate with the PLCs via OPC

(OLE for Process Control )

EPICs driver for DESY’s SimCon 3.1 LLRF board Edm used as the GUI builder Using extensions: Plan to use:

Alarm handler BURT StripTool for plots Channel Archiver


Brown Refrigerator GUI Display in edmBrown Refrigerator GUI Display in edm


Alarm Handler for Meson Test Facility CryoAlarm Handler for Meson Test Facility Cryo


Strip Tool PlotterStrip Tool Plotter


Why Use EPICS @ Meson & ILC Test Facility?Why Use EPICS @ Meson & ILC Test Facility?

Test Facility will be used by many visitors from various labs

EPICs is used at more labs than other controls systems Argonne personnel have expertise D0 personnel have expertise EPICs or its successor may be considered for the ILC FNAL needs to develop expertise in EPICS in order to

fully evaluate it


Why not use EPICS Now at Fermilab?Why not use EPICS Now at Fermilab?

ACNET is a stable, full featured controls system Operators are familiar with ACNET Huge investment in existing code Users can easily write applications for ACNET ACNET is now ported to Linux We can modify ACNET without the approval of a

collaboration Switching controls systems would be a monumental task We would lose functionality


Why Should We Switch to EPICS at Fermilab?Why Should We Switch to EPICS at Fermilab?

We can benefit from the collaboration of laboratories We can influence the characteristics of Version 4.0 EPICS or its successor may be the choice for the ILC Professional development of staff


What Does ACNET have that EPICS doesn’t?What Does ACNET have that EPICS doesn’t?

The Parameter Page Ability to add a data channel on the fly Data has associated error status on each return Redirection Consolidation of requests to front ends Wild card devices Snapshot plots Automatic downloads of settings on reboot Automatic logging of settings SDA Consolidated Error reports An integrated Console environment


ACNET Parameter PageACNET Parameter Page


What Does EPICS have that ACNET Doesn’t?What Does EPICS have that ACNET Doesn’t?

Longer More Descriptive names Distributed database Wide user base and on-line Tech-Talk help Front ends can be “programmed” by configuring database

records with minimal real programming


Some Other Control SystemsSome Other Control Systems

Tango (Collaboration of Light Sources) LHC (new system using Java, CORBA & C++) DOOCS (DESY Object Oriented Controls System) ALMA Common Software (Large Array Telescope)


The FUTURE: Version 4.0The FUTURE: Version 4.0

Provide online add/delete of I/O to support continuous operation.

Provide redundant control of remote I/O to support improved reliability.

Provide name introspection and domain control in support of seamless integration of large control systems

Provide triggers, filters, and rate limits to improve resource use of network and client side processing

Provide hierarchical devices to support higher level view of application in the front-end processors.


Version 4.0 cont.Version 4.0 cont.

Provide automatic backup and restore to support bump-less reboot and synchronization of redundant controllers.

Provide atomic read, write, and write with read-back to multiple channels to support synchronized access of arbitrary sets of channels.

Support international users with uni-code and time. Remove limitations on string lengths, device states,

number of input links to support arbitrary sizes. Internationalize Time Stamps


Allow definition and access to complex devices and multi-dimensional arrays

Name hierarchy in Channel Access <arbitrary string>.structure. Element[n]

e.g. Arc3PwrSupply.readback.status, ArcPwrSupply.readback.value

Device description in database Support arbitrary number of inputs to calculations and

subroutines. Support multi-state devices of an arbitrary number of

states




Allow wildcard searches Allow request to send all names supported in the IOC Support redundancy by allowing connections to specify

that they are not active Support multiple name servers by allowing connections

to specify how close to the source they are. Support Name aliases


Another InitiativeAnother Initiative

EPICs OfficeLed by Matthias Clausen of DESY Initiative to provide an Integrated Development

Environment for EPICsProvide a common look and feel across EPICs

applications


Status of Version 4.0 as of Feb 3, 2006Status of Version 4.0 as of Feb 3, 2006

Ned Arnold (for the APS Team) wrote in TechTalk: Upon review of last year's efforts and accomplishments, we have realized that

EPICS Version 4 is too large of a development to successfully undertake with the part-time resources that can be leveraged from operating facilities. In addition, the ambitious redesign of major portions of EPICS core (database, communications API, device support interface) would be a significant impediment for operating facilities to migrate to Version 4.

Therefore, under the current EPICS collaborative structure (and funding model), we have made a decision to focus on small incremental evolutionary steps (3.15, 3.16, etc) rather than revolutionary leaps. We will evaluate the desired features of V4 and develop a roadmap for incorporating some of these features into Version 3. More significant changes/features will have to wait until new opportunities present themselves to fund substantial developments (there are a few ideas on the table, however).


Andrew Johnson has taken over responsibility of "keeper of the source". His primary emphases will be reliability, maintainability and establishing a well-defined forward migration path for existing applications as new features are added. Some features already identified for possible incorporation into 3.x include enhancement of the build system; unbundling BASE into Core, Channel Access, and IOC; variable length strings; etc. Because of our limited resources, we will be looking for significant assistance in developing these features (i.e. the timeline for delivery is directly proportional to available resources).

Some V4 research and development will continue, but not led or coordinated by Argonne. One effort will include investigation of hierarchical records, "devices", and emerging protocols. An initial implementation of some of these ideas will be in a Java IOC (Marty Kraimer is working on this development). Another emerging development effort is the Control System Studio (a.k.a EPICS Office) and IOC redundancy driven by DESY. Any successes in these areas will be considered for integration somewhere in the future. Contact Bob Dalesio or Matthias Clausen if you are interested in these activities.

ACNET vs EPICS at Fermilab Accelerator Physics and Technology Seminar Sharon Lackey 3/14/2006.

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