Download SNS IOCs Use of Relational Database to Supply Configuration Files

SNS Daily News
Weather
Sunny and Warm
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
(It’s always sunny in Oak Ridge)
On The Web: WWW.SNS.GOV
D. Purcell, W. Blokland, A. Liyu, J. Patton, T. Pelaia, S. Zhukov
Trumpets Sound Over
SNS IOCs Use of Relational Database
to Supply Configuration Files
By David Purcell
The process saves time. Rollbacks are easy. Files manipulated with database
tools and file editors. Other data from relational database available for use.
Versions secured and controlled.
How They Did It
By Andrei Liyu and Sasha Zhukov
HTTP
Socket Library
TCP/IP
Controls
System Object
Controls
System Object
Web server – RDB
connectivity: PHP, JSP, ASP
Web
Server
Database
Server
The control system object initiates a request to the web server. The web
server determines
the number of files
required for the
specific IOC, and
then through a
second request
downloads the
Gone are:
files from the
• Multiple IOC Logins
RDB. The IOC
• Concern over Type of OS
then receives the
files from the web
• Need for Special RDB Drivers
server. Page 4
Concerns Given Pink
Slip
• Concern over Type of RDB
Purcell toots horn at celebration party.
Engineer Sees Wife for
First Time Since Being
Hired.
By Tom Pelaia and Wim Blokland
With the use of web-based
tools, java applications, and
simple SQL, SNS engineers
can now easily update their
deployed IOCs and then
leave
Related
Story:
SNS
work,
DBA
collapses
at
“Yes,
often
we
have
a
database”
before
brown-bag.
Overwork
dinner.
could
be
cause.
The
engineers
can also use the data stored
within the database to keep
track of the actual deployed
configuration, the changes
that have been made to their
IOCs. They also have the
ability to easily roll back if
needed. Page 2
Users of Windows and VxWorks Agree
ORNL/SNS is managed by
UT-Battelle, LLC, for the U.S.
Department of Energy under
contract DE-AC0500OR22725.
Although there is some discrepancy over who can do it faster, users of both platforms agree it is
simple to implement. Also, EPICS users the world over are rejoicing at the SNS development. The
client library, HttpClientLibrary.c, is based on an EPICS Socket library from the EPICS COM library.
It is reported to work on any EPICS supported OS and has been tested at SNS on both Windows
and VxWorks. Page 3
Inside
By Jeff Patton
RDB
The SNS RDB is
Oracle based. Its
schema is extensive
and includes many
different types of data
related to the SNS
control system. Page 1
Software
IOCs are modified to
use new client library.
LabView VI uses
internal socket library
while VxWorks
implements the library
via code changes to
st.cmd file. Page 3
Traditionalists
Worried
Although all seems to
work with this system,
some feel the potential is
too great. They claim it
won’t stop with
configuration files.
Calibration data,
manufacturer’s data,
analytical results, and
documentation all may
be next. Page 5