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The Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (AdvancedTCA ® ) specification implements important key features such as high reliability, high availability, redundancy and serviceability for control and data acquisition instrumentation fault condition, hardware malfunction, firmware updates and hardware reconfiguration. Red Hat Enterprise Linux and corresponding kernels already have built-in mechanisms and embedded software for Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) hot-plug support that allows automatic removal of PCIe device nodes and associated device files from the system providing a fast replacement strategy for damaged cards without requiring an entire system shutdown. This paper describes handling of PCIe hot-plug events at a software middle level using the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG) standard interrupt mechanism. The handling tasks can be accomplished by AdvancedTCA ® cards chipsets with support for PCIe hot-plug features, Linux hot-plug embedded controller and Red Hat built-in device manager module. The goal is to implement a fast hardware replacement solution without system shutdown providing high availability capabilities to AdvancedTCA ® control and data acquisition instrumentation specially directed for large fusion experiments such as International Thermonuclear Experiment Reactor (ITER). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) hotplug and hotswap capability implementation for advanced telecommunication computer architecture (ATCA) based instrumentation. PCIe hotplug provides card insertion and removal capability from a running PCIe-based platform without causing system damages and not requiring an entire system shutdown. PCIe hotswap allows endpoints or PCIe switches with endpoint cards to be inserted or removed from a PCIe system gracefully or unexpectedly without special considerations. Control and data acquisition (C&DAQ) cards need to be replaced from a system for fault-condition repair, hardware malfunction, firmware updates or upgrades and hardware reconfiguration. ATCA specification key features such as high reliability and high availability for C&DAQ systems strongly benefits from these capabilities taking advantage from Redhat Enterprise Linux, installed operating system, and corresponding kernel with built-in mechanisms and embedded software modules for hotplug and hotswap support. PCIe hotplug and hotswap implemented solutions in the ATCA-based prototype provides described capabilities to the C&DAQ and PCIe switch cards providing a fast replacement strategy for damaged cards and system downtime reduction. In addition, provides capability to automatically remove PCIe device nodes and corresponding device files from ATCA system as expected by ITER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ITER CODAC Core System (CCS) is responsible for plant Instrumentation and Control (I&C) supervising and monitoring. This system uses the Enhanced Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) Channel Access (CA) protocol as the interface with the Plant Operation Network (PON). This paper presents a generic EPICS device support developed for the integration of the ATCA Shelf Manager (ShM) into the ITER CCS, providing scalability and easy configuration. The device support uses the available HTTP interface on Shelf Manager in the communication layer. Both HTTP server and sensors/actuators definitions can be configured using the EPICS database file and the Input/Output Controller (IOC) initialization file. A proposal based on this device is also presented, targeting the Nominal Device Support (NDS) for health management. The EPICS device support running in an IOC provides Process Variables (PV) to the PON network with the system information and these PVs can be used by all CA clients, such as EPICS user interface clients, alarm systems and archive systems. Operation with redundant ATCA ShMs and device support scalability tests were performed and the results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] 40 Alternate plasma current (AC) semi-cycles without loss of ionization, more than 1s of operation. [•] AC discharges automatic control: feedback loops, time-windows control strategy, goal oriented time-windows and exception handling. [•] Energy deposition and Carbon radiation evolution during the AC discharges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] All real-time diagnostics and actuators were integrated in the same control platform. [•] A 100μs control cycle was achieved under the MARTe framework. [•] Time-windows based control with several event-driven control strategies implemented. [•] AC discharges with exception handling on iron core flux saturation. [•] An HTML discharge configuration was developed for configuring the MARTe system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The role of redundancy on control and data acquisition systems has gained a significant importance in the case of Nuclear Fusion, as demanding security and high-availability requirements call for redundancy to be available. IPFN's control and data acquisition system hardware is based on an Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) set of I/O (DAC/ADC endpoints) and data/timing switch modules, which handle data and timing from all I/O endpoints. Modules communicate through Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe), established over the ATCA backplane and controlled by one or more external hosts. The developed hardware modules were designed to take advantage of ATCA specification's redundancy features, namely at the hardware management level, including support of: (i) multiple host operation with N +1 redundancy – in which a designated failover host takes over data previously assigned to a suddenly malfunctioning host and (ii) N +1 redundancy of I/O and data/timing switch modules. This paper briefly describes IPFN's control and data acquisition system, which is being developed for ITER fast plant system controller (FPSC), and analyses the hardware implementation of its supported redundancy features. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] ISTTOK fast controller. [•] All real-time diagnostic and actuators were integrated in the control platform. [•] 100μs control cycle under the MARTe framework. [•] The ISTTOK control system upgrade provides reliable operation with an improved operational space. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents an Enhanced Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) device support module for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Fast Plant System Controller (FPSC) project based in Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) specification. The developed EPICS device support module provides an External System Manager (ESM) solution for monitoring and control the ITER FPSC ATCA shelf system and data acquisition boards in order to take proper action and report problems to a control room operator or high level management unit in case of any system failure occurrence. EPICS device support module acts as a Channel Access (CA) server to report problems and publish ATCA system data information to the control room operator, high level management unit or other CA network clients such as Control System Studio Operator Interfaces (CSS OPIs), Best Ever Alarm System Toolkit (BEAST), Best Ever Archive Utility (BEAUTY) or other CA client applications. EPICS device support module communicates with the ATCA Shelf manager (ShM) using HTTP protocol to send and receive commands through POST method in order to get and set system and shelf components properties such as fan speeds measurements, temperatures readings, module status and ATCA boards acquisition and configuration parameters. All system properties, states, commands and parameters are available through the EPICS device support module CA server in EPICS Process Variables (PV) and signals format. ATCA ShM receives the HTTP protocol messages from the EPICS device support module, validates and takes proper action in order to execute and acknowledge the required command operation and respond with an operation success or error return code. Each ATCA board contains inventory data that can be retrieved by the ShM controller to determine if there is enough power available for the payload process, provide manufacturer data information, retrieve board model and serial numbers and check number of available board sensors their types and fields. The ShM can provide this inventory data information to the EPICS device support module if is required. ShM module communicates with the ATCA boards through the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) controller via IPMI communication protocol on redundant IPMI bus. This communication protocol is managed by the embedded Intelligent Management Platform Controller (IPMC) in the ATCA board side and by the embedded Shelf Management Controller (ShMC) in the ShM side. Queried inventory data information becomes available in the EPICS device support module upon ShM command response. EPICS device support module can be a valuable and good approach for ATCA ESM aiming the integration in the ITER Control and Data Acquisition (CODAC) core system according the ITER specification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Control and data acquisition (C&DA) systems for Fusion experiments are required to provide accurate timing and synchronization (T&S) signals to all of its components. IPFN adopted PICMG''s Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) industry standard to develop C&DA instrumentation. ATCA was chosen not only for its high throughput characteristics but also for its high availability (HA) features which become of greater importance in steady-state operation scenarios. However, the specified ATCA clock and synchronization interface may be too limited for the timing and synchronization needs in advanced Physics experiments. Upcoming specification extensions, developed by the “xTCA for Physics” workgroups, will contemplate, among others, a complementary timing specification, developed by the PICMG xTCA for Physics IO, Timing and Synchronization Technical Committee. The IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) over Ethernet is one of the protocols, proposed by the Committee, aiming for precise synchronization of clocks in measurement and control systems, based on low jitter and slave-to-slave skew criteria. The paper presents an implementation of IEEE-1588 over Ethernet, in an ATCA hardware platform. The ATCA hardware consists of an Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) quad-carrier front board with PCI Express switching. IEEE-1588 is to be implemented on a Virtex-6 FPGA. Ethernet connectivity with the remote master clock is located on the rear transition module (RTM). The generated synchronized clock and absolute time in IRIG-B format are distributed to all systems endpoints by a cross-point switch which is also implemented on the FPGA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fusion plasma devices require highly complex Control, Data Acquisition and Communications (CODAC) systems due to ever-increasing demands on loop-cycle time, data bandwidth, channel density and failure prevention. The Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) specification has already proven to be a successful solution for real-time multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) architectures, and provides important non-functional features such as hardware management, fail-safe and redundancy. xTCA builds up from ATCA, standardizing timing signaling and port assignment on the Rear Transition Module (RTM), which are important features for instrumentation. Continuing the development efforts on ATCA instrumentation for CODAC systems for fusion devices, the authors designed an improved, xTCA-compliant, PCI Express-based, switch/AMC (Advanced Mezzanine Card) carrier module. Switching is carried out by a PCIe Gen 2 Switch and links to all existing nodes within an xTCA shelf, in a redundant dual-star topology. Timing distribution for the AMC modules, RTM and xTCA backplane is implemented on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Each module can carry up to four AMC and one RTM, up to 70 cards interconnected through a PCIe network. Therefore, the hardware will be able to perform a vast range of functionalities, such as data acquisition, processing, storage or signal generation, by inserting appropriate RTM and commercially available AMC modules, making them suitable for MIMO control of fusion devices. This paper presents the detailed hardware implementation, technology and layout of the module, and exemplifies its potential applications in a fusion control environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]