Future Improvements in Realtime Systems and Technologies

21 Jan 2019, 08:00 → 23 Jan 2019, 18:00 Europe/Ljubljana

Cosylab HQ

Kevin Meyer (Cosylab)

The event will consist of technical lectures and workshops covering real-time frameworks for science (e.g. Fusion, Space, Big Physics) and the systems to plan, schedule and execute them (e.g. support for multiple paths in experiment schedule editors and real-time supervision).
Participating organisations and experiments are expected to include ITER, AUP, W7X, WEST, NSTX-U and COMPASS.

Themes:
1. Real-time Frameworks (RF)
Keywords: ITER Real-time Framework, MARTe, LIGO, VxWorks, Real-time Linux, etc.

This theme covers general concepts related to real-time frameworks, ranging from considerations and expectations of real-time control loops to migrating from older frameworks to newer frameworks.
Presentations are expected to cover framework implementations, applications and technologies to support fast deterministic distributed control.
They can cover operating systems (Linux, VxWorks), real-time frameworks (DCS, MARTe, other), integrations, upgrades (migrating or adding new components), configuration (lifecycle management, long pulses, etc.) and other related technologies (e.g. event distribution systems). Presentations can also cover topics like real-time application best practices and alternative fast control implementations.


2. Experiment Management (EM)
Keywords: Experiment planning, specification (editing), selection, execution and supervision.

This theme covers concepts related to experiment planning, scheduling, editing, selection, configuration and execution.
Presentations are expected to cover dynamic experiment planning schemes (e.g. expressing and satisfying expectations); automation; planning and executing multi-path experiments; planning and executing in a goal-based environment and dynamic control room practices (working with last-minute changes in settings, systems availability or conditions).

3. Real-time Systems Tuning (ST)
Keywords: Hardware. Performance, debugging, tuning. Kernel parameters, runtime tuning, network tuning.

This theme covers the selection and tuning of low-level systems – the hardware and the operating systems. Presentations are expected to cover methods and systems for detecting poor performance, debugging and tuning parameters. Presentations can also cover topics such as network performance monitoring and tuning.

List of Presentations

Name	Institute	Title
K. Meyer	Cosylab	Experiment and Plant system configuration services at ITER - Managing transformations, validation and configuration in a complex environment
A. Žagar	Cosylab	ITER Real-Time Framework Overview and Progress
W. Treutterer	MPI-IPP (AUP)	DCS - Overview of the ASDEX Upgrade real-time control framework
Bernhard Sieglin	MPI-IPP (AUP)	DCS Satellite - Plant System Integration with the DCS framework
Filip Janky	MPI-IPP (AUP)	Fenix - ASDEX Upgrade Flight Simulator
A. Neto	F4E	Applying formal QA methods to an open-source scientific software project – a cost benefit analysis
K. Erickson	PPPL (NSTX-U)	Diagnosing and Correcting System Configuration for Optimal Realtime Performance
M. Lewerentz	MPI-IPP (W7X)	Experiment configuration at W7-X, DevOps methods for configuration changes
A. Spring	MPI-IPP (W7X)	Experiment planning and execution at W7-X
H. Laqua	MPI-IPP (W7X)	W7-X Segment Control as modular, event based control system
T. Bluhm	MPI-IPP (W7X)	Data acquisition, monitoring, and archiving at W7-X
R. Nouailletas	CEA Cadarache (WEST)	WEST PCS : A flexible framework for plasma operation
J. Colnel	CEA Cadarache (WEST)	WEST Real-time Network
Ales Havranek	COMPASS	COMPASS Upgrade Central Instrumentation and Tokamak Control: requirements, hardware platform, key features of software
G. De Tommasi	UNINA	RTFs in fusion experiments: a plasma control experts' prespective

All presentations are available for download in a single archive.

Programme:

Sunday
18:00	22:00	Welcome

Lunches will be at a nearby restaurant (walking distance) and are for your own expense - a "Kosilo" (you can choose from 3 or 4 options, varies daily) is typically 5 Euro. A la carte is 7 to 10 Euro.

Monday
09:00	09:15	15	Welcome
09:15	09:45	30	W. Treutterer, MPI-IPP (AUP), DCS - Overview of the ASDEX Upgrade real-time control framework
09:45	10:30	45	A. Žagar, Cosylab, ITER Real-Time Framework Overview and Progress
10:30	11:00	30	Coffee
11:00	11:30	25	A. Neto, F4E, Applying formal QA methods to an open-source scientific software project – a cost benefit analysis
11:30	12:00	25	H. Laqua, MPI-IPP (W7X), W7-X Segment Control as modular, event based control system
12:00	12:30	25	T. Bluhm, MPI-IPP (W7X), Data acquisition, monitoring, and archiving at W7-X
12:30	14:00	90	Lunch
14:00	14:45	45	G. De Tommasi, UNINA, RTFs in fusion experiments: a plasma control experts' prespective
14:45	15:10	25	R. Nouailletas, CEA Cadarache (WEST), WEST PCS : A flexible framework for plasma operation
15:10	15:35	25	J. Colnel, CEA Cadarache (WEST), WEST Real-time Network
15:35	16:05	30	Coffee
16:05	16:30	25
16:30	17:30	60	Discussion

Tuesday
09:00	09:45	45	K. Meyer, Cosylab, Experiment and Plant system configuration services at ITER - Managing transformations, validation and configuration in a complex environment
09:45	10:10	25	Bernhard Sieglin, MPI-IPP (AUP), DCS Satellite - Plant System Integration with the DCS framework
10:10	10:35	25	Filip Janky, MPI-IPP (AUP), Fenix - ASDEX Upgrade Flight Simulator
10:35	11:00	25	Coffee
11:00	11:25	25	Ales Havranek, COMPASS, COMPASS Upgrade Central Instrumentation and Tokamak Control: requirements, hardware platform, key features of software
11:45	12:10	25	M. Lewerentz, MPI-IPP (W7X), Experiment configuration at W7-X, DevOps methods for configuration changes
12:10	12:35	25	A. Spring, MPI-IPP (W7X), Experiment planning and execution at W7-X
12:30	14:00	90	Lunch
14:00	14:45	45	K. Erickson, PPPL (NSTX-U), Diagnosing and Correcting System Configuration for Optimal Realtime Performance
14:45	15:15	30	Coffee
15:15	17:15	120	Round-table
19:00	22:00		Dinner at restaurant

Transport

Attendees can fly to either Ljubljana Brnik airport or Trieste.

From Brnik airport, Unreserved GoOpti shuttles take you to an address in LJ for 9 Euro. From Trieste, you can reserve a GoOpti shuttle to take you to Ljubljana for around €30 each way (less, if you don't mind waiting at the airport).

A standard taxi carrying 4 people will cost around €30 from Brnik airport to Ljubljana centre - no reservation required.

Taxi trips within Ljubljana, i.e. from most hotels to Cosylab headquarters, should cost about 5 to 7 Euro per trip - if you call ahead and have the taxi collect you.
We have good experience with the "Intertours" and "Laguna" taxi operators.

Public Transport in Ljubljana

The Gerbičeva stop on Ljubljana public transport (LPP) bus stop line 1 is about 300 metres from the Cosylab headquarters.

Note that LPP buses only accept payment using the "Urbana" card system. At least one passenger must buy an Urbana card (from an Urbanamat at selected bus stations, Mercator stores, Petrol stations, etc) and load money onto it.

The card holder can pay for multiple passengers when boarding by notifying the bus driver before payment.

A single payment of €1.20 is valid up to 90 minutes (including multiple trips/buses).

Accommodation

You can use Booking.com to choose from many options in Ljubljana.
For convenience, here is a list of accommodation for consideration:
https://www.union-hotels.eu/en/hotel-lev/
https://www.cityhotel.si/
https://hotelmrak.si/
https://www.ahotel.si/hotel-rooms.html
http://www.garnihotelazur.si/
http://hotelvaultljubljana.com/
https://www.vilateslova.si/en-us
https://www.booking.com/hotel/si/emonec.en-gb.html

There is simple, cheap accommodation in the sports hall about 100m from our building:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/si/sport-ljubljana-ljubljana.en-gb.html

Or a hostel that is almost next door:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/si/simbol-hostel.en-gb.html