Implementation of PCs in the HERA Control System
P. Duval, et al. DESY-MKI, Hamburg
Progress in controlling the HERA machine at DESY with PCs is described, with
emphasis on the use of producer-consumer communication links. To date the
quench protection system for the superconducting proton ring, the proton
collimators, and major portions of the beam diagnostic control and RF controls
are incorporated in a control system using PCs running MS-DOS and WINDOWS-based
software in a NOVELL network environment. Although dominated by PCs
communicating with IPX protocols, the system also supports IP-based
communications for links to UNIX machines and VME CPUs. HERA Magnet control is
still performed by NORD minicomputers, but the coming upgrade is also discussed
in the context of the PC magnet control system planned for the HERA
pre-accelerators and peripheral machines, which is now being tested in the
PETRA and DORIS rings.