An Application Node System Image Manager Subsystem within a Distributed Function Laboratory Computer System

A computer system to control and acquire data from five neutron scattering, four neutron diffraction, and one x-ray diffraction experiments located at the Brookhaven National Laboratory High Flux Beam Reactor has operated in a routine manner for over three years. The computer system is configured as a network of computer processors with the processor interconnections assuming a star-like structure. At the points of the star are the ten experiment control-data acquisition computers, referred to as application nodes. At the center of the star is a shared service node which supplies a set of shared services utilized by all of the application nodes. A program development node occupies one additional point of the star. The design and implementation of a network subsystem to support development and execution of operating systems for the application nodes is described.