Modernizing the ESRF Control System with GNU/Linux

Title: Modernizing the ESRF Control System with GNU/Linux

Research Question: How can the ESRF control system be modernized using GNU/Linux?

Methodology: The ESRF control system, which consists of VME, 10 MHz Ethernet, OS9, Solaris, HP-UX, NFS/RPC, Motif, and C, was being replaced with a system based on compact PCI, 100 MHz Ethernet, Linux, Windows, Solaris, CORBA/IIOP, C++, Java, and Python. The main frontend operating system was to be GNU/Linux running on Intel/x86 and Motorola/68k. Linux was also used on handheld devices for mobile control.

Results: The ESRF control system was modernized using GNU/Linux. The advantages of using GNU/Linux included freedom, access to all source code, use of a conceptually simple and well-documented system, and a rich set of software packages. The system was able to run on MVME-162 crates using Motorola CPU's, or on PCs running Linux/x86 with bus extenders controlling the VME bus. The Linux/m68k crates were run without hard disks, using NFS and RAM disks for various directories. Device drivers were rewritten for all main VME cards, with some maintenance and further development done in-house.

Implications: The modernization of the ESRF control system using GNU/Linux resulted in a more stable, efficient, and robust system. The use of standard techniques like multithreading allowed for easy addition of new features. The transition between VME and PCI technology was gradual, ensuring a smooth implementation. Overall, the project was successful in modernizing the control system and providing users with better features and control.

Link to Article: https://arxiv.org/abs/0111033v1 Authors: arXiv ID: 0111033v1