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MCAF (Metadata Capture and Formatting)

MCAF (Metadata Capture and Formatting). Rich Moeser. Outline. MCAF overview System diagram Timeline Status Design Possible Reuse (from IDCAF or ALMA) SDM Deployment Summary/Questions. MCAF. MCAF was originally named DCAF

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MCAF (Metadata Capture and Formatting)

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  1. MCAF(Metadata Capture and Formatting) Rich Moeser Correlator f2f Meeting

  2. Outline • MCAF overview • System diagram • Timeline • Status • Design • Possible Reuse (from IDCAF or ALMA) • SDM • Deployment • Summary/Questions Correlator f2f Meeting

  3. MCAF • MCAF was originally named DCAF • The name was changed to emphasize that it’s “meta” data that’s being captured (as opposed to visibility or monitor data). • MCAF’s primary responsibilities are: • To collect science metadata from the EVLA system and the correlator. • Combine and reorganize the data • And write the data in ESDM (EVLA Science Data Model) format • It is the successor of IDCAF (Interim Data Capture and Formatting) • This is the data capture process currently used by the EVLA system. • Required for the retirement of the Modcomp computers. • Writes the data in VLA export format to the VLA archive. • Differences between IDCAF and MCAF • IDCAF = EMCS + VLA Correlator + VLA Export Format • MCAF = EMCS + WIDAR PTC + ESDM Format Correlator f2f Meeting

  4. System Diagram MCAF EVLA M&C Correlator f2f Meeting

  5. Phases/Timeline • ALMA deliverables: Q1 2008 • Typed XML schema • Modifications to code generator to eliminate ACS/CORBA dependencies • Feb 2008 • Detailed design complete • Mar 2008 • Schema definitions for all data going into MCAF • May (early) 2008 • Writing the minimal SDM (= mandatory tables) • July (mid) 2008 • Ready to support PTC tests • Writing minimal SDM + other required tables (if any) • Q1 2009 • Support for simple observing with WIDAR • “commissioning basic observing modes” • Q4 2009 • Writing full-blown SDM, supporting all tables for EVLA/WIDAR • “commissioning advanced observing modes” Correlator f2f Meeting

  6. Currently in the early stages of design and prototype. Focus has been mostly on infrastructure Data collection SDM handling (SDM to Java binding) Communications Status Correlator f2f Meeting

  7. ?/XML UDP/XML HTTP/XML MCAF design <*/> UdpMessageHandler MCAF Core <*/> (Data Aggregation) HttpMessageHandler <receipt/> <alerts/> OtherMessageHandler Alert Server External software process (HTTP GET) HttpRequestHandler notification new data available <mcaf/> SDM Archive Interface SDM Archive ui.jsp (SDM out) <html/> Status and Control GUI HTTP (data type in) sdm.xml files (igloo) TelCal UDP (data type out) Unknown Correlator f2f Meeting

  8. This includes all data required to build the ESDM Data that is either sent to MCAF or data that it retrieves on its own. MCAFInput • EVLA Data Providers • Executor • CMP • MIBs • Alert Server or Flagger • (depends on internal or external flagging) • Dynamic Scheduler (?) • TelCal(?) • Others? • Correlator Data Providers • CBE/FF (?) • Station Boards (?) • Baseline Boards (?) • MCCC (VCI) (?) • Others? Correlator f2f Meeting

  9. Writes SDM output files (to a staging disk) Sends alerts to the Alert Server Data to TelCal (the SDM files) Archive notification (?) MCAFOutput Correlator f2f Meeting

  10. Sending data to MCAF UDP Multicasts containing XML documents HTTP POSTs containing XML documents Unknown data types received by MCAF will be logged and dropped. MCAF fetching data What data will MCAF need to collect on its own? If MCAF needs to get data from the SBs will it need to open a connection to each one? What is the communications protocol? Access to MCAF information from clients (Java, python, …) HTTP interface to retrieve basic status information, e.g. health, number of packets received and processed, errors, start date and time, etc Data will be an XML <mcaf> document back to the client. Browser access… A simple JSP (Java Server Pages) will display MCAF status and possibly present control options (shutdown, restart, etc). Communications Correlator f2f Meeting

  11. Possible Reuse?(from IDCAF or ALMA) • IDCAF is written in C, MCAF will be written in Java. • No chance of reuse there • Possibility for reusing parts of the design • The infrastructure for sending data to IDCAF exists, e.g. in the Executor, so there’s a good chance the existing XML schema can be used and simply extended. • There’s a very good chance of being able to use ALMA’s code for reading and writing SDM. Correlator f2f Meeting

  12. SDM • The SDM is a collection of ~40 “tables” containing “rows” of data of a known type. • The “minimal” SDM will create and write the “mandatory” tables of the SDM. • The “mandatory” tables: • Main, AlmaCorrelatorMode, Antenna, ConfigDescription, DataDescription, Feed, Field, Polarization, Processor, Scan, Source, SpectralWindow, State, SubScan • The remainder of the table are considered “optional” tables: • Beam, CalDevice, CalAtmosphere, Doppler, Ephemeris, ExecBlock, Focus, FocusModel, GainTracking, History, Observation, Pointing, PointingModel, Receiver, SBSummary, Seeing, SourceParameter, SquareLawDetector, Station, SwitchCycle, TotalPowerData, WVMcal, Weather. • Are the mandatory tables sufficient for the PTC tests? If not, what else is needed? Correlator f2f Meeting

  13. ALMA CASA EVLA Archive MCAF UML Authoring Tool (MagicDraw) HLA Code Generation Framework sdm.xmi ACS/CORBA dependencies sdm.xsd (typed) ALMA Generated Source ALMA jar file JAXB (compile and package) JAXB (Java API for XML Binding) JAXB Generated Source JAXB jar file SDM Java Binding Options Master SDM Document Correlator f2f Meeting

  14. MCAF will run on the machine igloo (or its replacement) out at the site. It will be packaged as a “.war” file and deployed to a running instance of Apache Tomcat. If the system goes down for whatever reason Tomcat will automatically start and launch all of the applications in its container, including MCAF. MCAF Deploymentfor the PTC igloo Apache Tomcat Input Data MCAF Client Requests igloo’s staging disk Correlator f2f Meeting

  15. Summary/Questions Summary • Still in the early stages of MCAF • A detailed examination is needed to find out where all of the data required by the SDM will originate • A first cut that writes minimal SDM will be ready by May • There’s a pretty good chance we’ll be able to use some of ALMA’s software. • Determine whether or not flagging should be built into MCAF or if it should be a standalone external process. Questions • Does MCAF gather anything directly from the CBE/FF/SBs/BBs/MCCC? • What is the communications protocol? • Is the “minimal” SDM sufficient for PTC testing? • The plan is to have MCAF writing SDM in May. Is that acceptable? Correlator f2f Meeting

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