Sharing control system software

Building a custom accelerator control system requires effort in the range of 30-100 person-years. This represents a significant investment of time, effort, and risk, as well as challenges for management. Even when the system is successful, the software has not yet been applied to the particular project; no custom control algorithms, either engineering or physics-based, have been implemented; and the system has not been documented for long-term maintenance and use. This paper reviews the requirements for sharing software between accelerator control system projects. It also reviews the three mechanisms by which control system software has been shared in the past and is being shared now, as well as some of the experiences. After reviewing the mechanisms and experiences, one can conclude there is no one best solution. The right software sharing mechanism depends upon the needs of the client site, the client resources available, and the services the provider can give