Testing ethernet networks for the ATLAS data collection system

Author

Barnes, F.R.M. ; Beuran, R. ; Dobinson, R.W. ; LeVine, M.J. ; Martin, B. ; Lokier, J. ; Meirosu, C.

Author_Institution

Kent Univ., Canterbury, UK

Volume

49

Issue

2

fYear

2002

fDate

4/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

516

Lastpage

520

Abstract

This paper reports recent work on ethernet traffic generation and analysis. We use gigabit ethernet network interface cards (NICs) running customized embedded software and custom-built 32-port fast ethernet boards based on field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to study the behavior of large ethernet networks. The traffic generation software is able to accommodate many traffic distributions with the ultimate goal of generating traffic that resembles the data collection system of the ATLAS experiment at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. Each packet is time stamped with a global clock value and, therefore, we are able to compute an accurate measure of the network latency. Various other information collected from the boards is displayed in real time on a graphical interface. This work provides the tools to study a test bed representing a fraction of the 1600 ATLAS detector readout buffers and 600 Level 2 trigger central processing units (CPUs) using a combination of the fast ethernet boards and the gigabit ethernet NICs

Keywords

computer equipment testing; data acquisition; embedded systems; field programmable gate arrays; graphical user interfaces; high energy physics instrumentation computing; local area networks; nuclear electronics; real-time systems; trigger circuits; ATLAS data collection system; FPGA; Level 2 trigger central processing units; custom-built 32-port fast ethernet boards; customized embedded software; ethernet networks testing; ethernet traffic generation; field programmable gate arrays; graphical interface; network interface cards; real time; traffic distributions; Clocks; Computer networks; Delay; Embedded software; Ethernet networks; Field programmable gate arrays; Network interfaces; System testing; Telecommunication traffic; Time measurement;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TNS.2002.1003791

Filename

1003791