file: outline.txt

date: 08/13/2001


Initial items/questions/issues
- EVLA web pages

- milestones

- PDR & CDR requirements

- schedule & budgets

- development environment
  - OS & software tools
  - how many development workstations needed ?  for whom ?  by when ?

- documentation environment
  - OS & software tools
  - how many needed ?  for whom ?  by when ?

- Preparation for the PDR
  - Requirements
    - for the PDR, need only top level requirements
    - scientific
      - The materials we already have must be reveiwed to determine
	if they are adequate for a PDR, any deficiencies corrected,
	and the material must be organized in some manner.
    - operations
      - Rich Moeser
      - prototypical screens done as part of the requirements gathering process
    - engineering
      - who ?
  
  
  - Strawman design
    - elements which I see as particularly important for PDR preparation are:
      - operator workstations
        - OS
        - operator access to datastreams
      - RTOS
      - real-time database
      - middleware
        - for monitor data dissemination
        - for control
        - boundaries of the middleware domain
      - GBT code
      - languages to be used, ? including scripting languages ?
      - M&C Network
    Taken together, the above list in some sense defines what we write to (&
    what we write in).
  
     - RTOS
       - real-time capabilities
       - compatibility with
	 - development environment
	 - other software packages: middleware, real-time database
       
     - Middleware for distributed systems communication candidates:  
       - CORBA
         - language bindings
         - orb interoperability issues 
       - NDDS (real-time publish subscribe system offered by RTI) 
     
     - Real-Time Database(s)
       This would be a database(s) for the real-time work
	- ? to hold system configuration information ? 
	- to hold current (instantaneous) monitor data values (& some history).  
       This category does NOT refer to the data archive. 
       For real-time work, would want a memory resident database that could 
       assist us with the tasks of i) warnings & alarms, ii) data flagging,
       iii) logging, iv) on-going plots of current conditions, v) updates of 
       operator screens
	   
     - GBT code
       - need some one or two people to begin investigation


M&C Processor (Kevin's project)
- add resources
  - 2nd processor, preferably in a 2nd crate with a network connection
    to the M&C Processor
- use as testbed for
  - operator screens/software
  - middleware


Real-Time Hardware    
- processor(s) for real-time boxes

- backplane for real-time boxes

- Do we benefit by deferring decisions on these items for as 
  long as possible ?  How long can we wait ?


M&C Network
- present diagram & meeting notes from meeting of 08/09/2001


Correlator
- discuss manpower requirements
- software discussions to take place after evla2
  (evla2: 8/23-8/25/2001, correlator software discussions: 8/27-8/28/2001)
- time in Penticton



Strategies
- One necessary & important goal is to reduce the man months that we must
  supply.
  - Toward that end, to the greatest degree possible, adapt software from
    other sites (Green Bank) & purchase capabilities.