LBT Q3 2008 Eng/SW Review
SFWG – Software Group General Norm Cushing
Progress
Software Development
Front Bent Gregorian Commissioning. Is working and being used for Lucifer commissioning. Some work remaining. Telescope Structure Temperatures. Being captured with the new Telemetry system. Populate Telemetry from TCS subsystem. Late. In development for deployment in Oct – Dec 2008. Binocular Prime Focus. Delayed because of Lucifer commissioning and new Telemetry implementation efforts. Rotator and cable chain control software. Completed and pretty thoroughly tested. Acquiring HBS PLC values and HBS State Machine Rework. Delayed. Direct Gregorian Rotator control. Development has started. Much work remaining. Decide on LGS/TCS/AOS architecture. Still awaiting architecture decision from MPIA, (its been quiet). ICE common software initiative. Cancelled for foreseeable future. Lack of resources.
LBT Q3 2008 Eng/SW Review
20-Oct-2008
Progress cont.
Tucson computer room
Electrical upgrade. Delayed until 2009 budget is released. Rack refresh. In-progress.
Network
Cisco fiber and copper port increase (48 each), Delayed, now scheduled for Nov 3rd, 2008. Characterization. Consultant Hired. Progress being made, some problems already identified. Architecture Re-design and Implementation. Delayed following further characterization and consulting.
Install Hardware Infrastructure enhancements/upgrades
TCS Servers (Apr – May). Delayed. Planned for deployment by Oct 17th, 2008. Memory upgrades to Mtn. TO workstations. Delayed until 2009 budget is released. TEL Servers and databases. Mtn. Servers are Operational. Development Test Machine will be deployed by Oct 28, 2008. Windows Domain servers. Operational.
20-Oct-2008
LBT Q3 2008 Eng/SW Review
Open Issues
Technical
Network delays are being investigated but are not yet understood. Network new architecture design and implementation needs resources and carry through. Private fibers between computer room and New Instrument Lab need to be championed and funded (as an example, expected by Lucifer for mid November 2008, expected by Linc-Nirvana). TCS should migrate to CentOS 5.x before the end of the 2009 monsoon season. TCS should migrate to Qt 4 before the end of the 2009 monsoon season. Need to migrate LBC to newer OS and C++ IIF interface to take advantage of ICE IIF interface. Web server consolidation, development, upgrade, and maintenance of existing tools needs to be championed and funded.
Schedule
Instrument and telescope commissioning night time support is severely taxing the group. Members are tired and irritable. Morale and productivity has waned. Schedule or extended effort must give way. Binocular Prime Focus deployment delayed. GCS development is behind schedule. GCS GUI is behind schedule. 20-Oct-2008 LBT Q3 2008 Eng/SW Review Dynamic Balance is behind schedule.
Open Issues cont.
Budget
2009 budget was smaller than requested. Some upgrades to mtn. computers, networking, delayed until 2009 budget. Will not be possible to assume responsibility for DIMM, Lucifer, and LBC software. No money for private fibers between computer room and new instrument lab.
Resource
Short a Software Developer with extended absence of Titus P. Environmental subsystem is not staffed. Affects LBT weather station. Network Engineer/Administrator to carry out Network redesign implementation is not staffed. Web services administration and development is not staffed.
20-Oct-2008
LBT Q3 2008 Eng/SW Review
Planning (Q3/2008)
Networking initiative
Cisco fiber and copper port increase - Nov 3rd, 2008 Characterize Telescope network performance – Fall 2008 Labeling cables (copper and fiber) – Fall 2008 Documentation of network (copper and fiber) – Fall 2008 Privatizing the TCS subnet - 2009 Providing private instrument subnets – 2009 Continue design of new networking architecture – Fall 2008
Install Hardware Infrastructure enhancements/upgrades
New TCS Servers using CentOS 5.x as development test bed – Oct 17th, 2008. New Mtn. TO workstations (not all). Scheduled after arrival of 2009 budget.
20-Oct-2008
LBT Q3 2008 Eng/SW Review
Planning (Q3/2008) cont.
TCS Configuration Management
Operational and test builds deployed to telescope. Branching for all development (no direct work being done on the software trunk). Merging into trunk only after telescope testing is concluded successfully. Software development and deployment managed as specific functional goals.
Lucifer and Telescope Commissioning Night Time support
The organization/group needs a realistic plan that can be maintained with present staff.
Software Development
ICE support via IRS embedded in IIF Server. Fall 2008. Need to migrate LBC to newer OS, C++, and ICE version of IIF. 2009. Begin SW effort to populate Telemetry database. Fall 2008. Complete Active Optics for Bent Gregorian commissioning (telescope and instrument). Fall to early 2009. Rekindle technical talks with MODS development team. Fall 2008. Direct Rotator. No new code development. Labor required for testing. Rotator GUIs need to be added to MCSPU and MCS subsystem. Fall 2008. HBS. Not sure when this work will be executed.
LBT Q3 2008 Eng/SW Review
20-Oct-2008