Using World- Wide- Web for Control Systems

F.Momal
CERN- AT


World- Wide- Web is really welcome in control systems. From anywhere, operators and specialists may access data from the control systems without having to install specific software or bothering about the type of computer to use. Nearly any computer loaded with a little piece of world- wide available software may have access to the archives file of the controlled process or its documentation. The Web standard based on the hypertext principles and being highly focused on the man- machine interface is an easy and intuitive way of accessing data.

The paper describes the link which has been made between the WWW and the LHC magnet test bench control system. It lists the different kinds of relevant data which are presented through this network tool: user- guides, on- line help, process documentation, archived data but also real- time data like trends of sensors' values or alarms. A software gateway, decoupling the Web server and the control system is described.

A structure has been designed to cope with the nuisance which could be brought by the web as well as to handle security features. It offers full transparent access to all the different data wherever they come from: files on several computers, databases, control system's real- time values, ...