Configuration Database David Forrest University of Glasgow

Scope The configuration database deals with cabling, calibration, geometry, alarm handler limits and set value configuration information only; not data Its use cases are useful for offline analysis, reconstructing the configuration of the experiment Eg “Give me the configuration of the experiment at 16:15 on 5 th November 2009” Database is built on Postgres database management system and hosted on heplnw17. The database is not purely relational but also bi-temporal. Please see previous collaboration meeting talks for a fuller explanation of this concept and its justification.

Progress TaskStatusPerson days Database Design Lots Database Implementation Lots Write geometries 7 Reconstruct Geometries 7 Read/write cablings 20 read/write calibrations 7 read/write set values 10 Triggers, constraints and XML DTDs 7 Transactions, rollback, robust feedback 3 Networked calls 5 Documentation 10 Access levels (API, G4MICE, ctrls, det experts) 1 Alarm limits 7 GUI 21 Remote access webserver CM25? Security 5 Client apps Not doneIn ProgressDoneDelegated

Database Functionality No-one in the collaboration (except me) needs to know any SQL to use the database. They will simply use the same software they have been using up until now, which will know how to ask questions of the database There is something called an API which existing programs should communicate with. This API will translate requests into SQL My job is to write that API in one place, rather than include DB code in many places (programs)

In picture form RAL Firewall Grid Users DB Interface DB G4MICE DB Developer Control Room Apps* *Automatic Recording processes in the control room including James Leaver’s user interface for set values

Database Functionality 2 Since the last collaboration meeting there has been much progress Geometry - Can now write and read geometries - We can reconstruct what the geometry was known to be for a given time. We have a history of state. We also can update when misalignments are found. We have a history of those updates. You can reconstruct what was KNOWN about the state of the geometry at some set of given times, very easily. Calibration - Can now write and read calibrations of arbitrary format - One default calibration should be maintained by the detector groups but others can be kept and called specifically Set Values - Can now write and read set values - EPICS GUI (James Leaver) interfaces with this. Thanks also to Pierrick & Adam for help with cataloguing many set vals.

Database Functionality 3 Approval has been given in principle from RAL Networking for a webserver, subject to satisfactory demonstration of security. (Contact : Malcolm Ellis) - This has been a dead weight on the project up to this point - I am setting up such a webserver during this collaboration meeting, for testing, initially not visible to the world

How do I talk to the database? Lets use an example of a G4MICE user wanting to load the configuration of all the experiments with some conditions On the API we have methods like this: getGeometry(Time or run number), getCalibration(detector, time or run), getSetValues(time or run), etc for alarm handler and cabling…also getAll(run)

Use -1 I have almost completed a small web interface for quick answers on run numbers etc

Use-2 The user can insert the run number they wish to read the configuration for into G4MICE data cards An application within G4MICE reads the configuration relevant to that run number from the database Other data card values can be used to choose for example non default calibrations…

Moving over to DB James Leaver has written a gui for deployment in the control room which writes set values to the database instead of having to use spreadsheets Right now this is in prototyping, we have a lot of manual input which is being replaced bit by bit by automatic input, so as much as possible will be automated There are checks and constraints defined to identify sensible input only which will remain in force even when its automated

Moving over to DB 2 We anticipate making less and less of this manual input, and making almost all of it automatic as client apps link up with the database We have already tried uploading set value configurations from the gui and it has worked perfectly

Review Feedback There was a DAQ and controls review following the last collaboration meeting The database was included in this review. Myself and Malcolm Ellis have sent initial feedback to JSG I was not able to be present at this review however did provide documentation and was available to answer any questions put to me on the phone Felt it would be good to take the opportunity to clarify here any potential concerns the collaboration may have, after having read the review

Feedback 2 “The committee [is concerned the] structure of the database would not easily provide access to online distributions taken at some arbitrary date in the past for comparison with current data. “ - This has never been within the remit of the database “Replication of the database to an additional copy accessible externally would mitigate the risk [of excessive traffic], but the appropriate security measures need to be designed into the system as a priority.” - The postgres database management system includes support for defining and queuing transactions, which are indivisible and isolatable units of interaction, with the database. It is used commercially for many high performance applications. The API is also complementary to these concerns. It is unclear to me what added value could be found in making a second copy of the database, (although on a different note, regular backups will be made). I am confident that the software is able to meet our requirements but have neither comment nor criticism of available networking hardware. “It was not clear either from the presentation that this mechanism allows one capture multiple possible configurations for the online systems, for instance setup for normal beam data-taking versus special calibration modes, choose as necessary at run time and then retrospectively determine which was in force. “ - This is a key motivation for providing time dimensionality in the database and information can be found in sections 3.2 & 3.6 in the database brief and slide 17 of the presentation.

Summary Database is progressing well Wish to finish database functionality and perform stress tests which could be presented at CM26 Nevertheless, people should think about integrating DB communication with their applications (contact me for info – but this is an action item for others)

Better Summary This slide was written *before* the talk was given…and is not dynamically created at runtime.