Architecture of MA in the CFHT Observing Environment (NEO)

Emphasized Text marks new changes to the document.

• CFHT provides an Observation Manager (NEO) which, through director, will communicate with MegaCam using a command set.
• NEO will run on the CFHT side (hereafter Unix).
• MegaCam will be seen from Unix as a single threaded command line interpreter (the "MegaCam Agent", "MA").
• The front end of Ma will be a single task running under VxWorks on the MegaCam VME crate.
• For sharing data, the solution presently examined is a server residing on both VME and Unix. Jan 2000: We will provide a status server API library soon, which can be called each time data needs to be retrieved or sent to the NEO system.
• The MegaCam agent is now a single task hosting the various functions needed for the operation of MegaCam. Jan 2000: this does not mean that there will only be one task on the VME crate. NEO, however, will only talk to one "foreground task", the MegaCam agent.
• The MegaCam agent should be developed under VxWorks. Jan 2000: Removed text about single task and portability.
• The main work to be done moving to VxWorks will be the development of the shared data area, and its sharing through a server with Unix. This cannot be done as long as the sharing mechanism hasn't been decided.
• Simultion of the Agent made at CFHT on VxWorks will be used by CEA as a starter for writing the MegaCam Agent. Ma will conform to the simulation agent for the Director/Agent message handling.
• All software needed for running MegaCam in operation and engineering at CFHT will be provided under VxWorks.

Data Feed

• If the data transfer is to be limited to sending the data to Unix as soon as they are received from the DSP, the MegaCam Agent is sufficient (no need for another task.)
• Data Capture Agent (NOAO) is to be studied as a solution to retrieve the data on Unix.
• Jan 2000: The physical link carrying the pixel data to Unix still needs to be decided.
  • Direct SLINK to the Unix machine?
  • Memory mirror cards?