eEVN practical considerations Arpad Szomoru 1 st e

e-EVN: practical considerations Arpad Szomoru 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

Outline • Work packages • Currently underway • Next 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

Work packages • Standard e-VLBI correlator mode: • Wall-clock time vs ROT • Centralized control • Rapid response/To. O functionality: • Real-time monitoring/feedback/analysis • On-the-fly adjustment of observational/correlator parameters • Improved amplitude calibration • Data transport issues • Guaranteed (high) bandwidth • Transport protocols (modified TCP, UDP-based, VSI-e…) • Hardware issues • New control computers (reliability, speed) • Replacement of SUs (ageing, failing, rusting, unmaintainable, unfixable…) • Networking hardware (router, interfaces) 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

e-VLBI correlator mode: control interfaces 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

Monitoring tools: Integrating fringe display 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

Monitoring tools: Data status monitor 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

Rapid adjustment of correlator params: vex editor 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

(near) Real-time analysis: streamlining of post processing 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

Web-based Post-processing 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

Current/future development • Telescope status monitor • Compilation of available telescope information • Adaptive scheduling • Capability to change order or length of observation of sources during experiment • Wb-based amplitude calibration • EVN calibration data not necessarily up-to-date • Logistical effort • Not only useful for e-VLBI (e. g. polarisation calibration) 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

Connectivity improvements: Protocols: • Vlbi-udp under development in Manchester (Richard Hughes. Jones, Ralph Spencer & collaborators) • TCP modifications (Sansa, Kettenis). Issues with Mark 5 A code and newer Linux kernels • VSI-e. Needs Mark 5 B. . • Other protocols (tsunami? ) Lightpaths across Europe • Affordable (probably for free) and available right now • Easily expandable 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

Hardware New control computers • Solaris AMD servers, redundant power supplies • Interchangeable for maximum reliability • Cut down dramatically on (re-)start time Mark 5 upgrade: • Motherboards, memory, power supplies • Mark 5 A→B: serial links, CIBs 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE

Network upgrade at JIVE: SX optics, router External LPs N GE Mk 5 16 GE OME network Dynamic capabilities through DRAC 10 G IP 1 st e. VSAG meeting, Westerbork, November 2006, A. Szomoru, JIVE Switch Mk 5