1. e-RemoteCtrl: Concepts for VLBI station control as part of NEXPReS Arpad Szomoru (JIVE) Alexander Neidhardt (FESG), Martin Ettl (FESG), Matthias Mühlbauer (BGK), Walter Alef (MPIfR), Ed Himwich (NASA/GSFC), Christopher Beaudoin (MIT-Haystack), Christian Plötz (BKG), Arpad Szomoru (JIVE)

2. NEXPReS Novel EXplorations Pushing Robust e-VLBI Services

3. NEXPReS WP5/Task 3: Continuous quality monitoring & Station Remote Control - three-year project - aimed at further developing e-VLBI services of the European VLBI Network (EVN) - incorporating e-VLBI into every astronomical observation conducted by the EVN. -15 astronomical institutes and National Research and Education Network (NREN) providers - e ‑ Infrastructure project funded by the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme - Four main technical activities: - Cloud Correlation - Dynamically Provisioned Network Resources - Computing in a Shared Infrastructure - Provisioning High-Bandwidth, High-Capacity Networked Storage Novel EXplorations Pushing Robust e-VLBI Services

4. NEXPReS first year review – Brussels – September 8, 2011 - WP5 at JIVE: -Dealing with increasing complexity of operations -Handling of data streams in real- time, recorded, mixed -At 1, 2, 4, 10 (?) Gbps -More frequent/irregular e-VLBI observations involve -Much improved monitoring -Both hardware, network -(semi) automated scheduling -Rapid feedback -Robust warning systems

5. NEXPReS WP5/Task 3: Continuous quality monitoring & Station Remote Control - three-year project - aimed at further developing e-VLBI services of the European VLBI Network (EVN) - incorporating e-VLBI into every astronomical observation conducted by the EVN. -15 astronomical institutes and National Research and Education Network (NREN) providers - e ‑ Infrastructure project funded by the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme - Four main technical activities: - Cloud Correlation - Dynamically Provisioned Network Resources - Computing in a Shared Infrastructure - Provisioning High-Bandwidth, High-Capacity Networked Storage Novel EXplorations Pushing Robust e-VLBI Services WP5/Task 3: (TUM, MPIfR, JIVE) - identify and re-act on observation failures in near real-time - improve diagnostics - allow direct (read) access to the field system control parameters - extend the capabilities of the NASA Field System by - remote control with authentication, authorization and a operator role management - station and system monitoring

6. NEXPReS WP5/Task 3: Continuous quality monitoring & Station Remote Control now July 1 st

7. Remote Control (“e-RemoteCtrl” software)

8. „e-RemoteCtrl“ software – the original test bed TIGO Concepción/Chile GARS O’Higgins/Antarctica RT Wettzell/ Germany TTW Wettzell/ Germany Remote Control on Site Communication Tele-working

9. FS Monitor Client GUI TCP/IP-Network FS Monitor Client Communication FS Monitor Server Communication FS Monitor Server Functionality FS Monitor Device … Server functionality Communication generated with the software generator idl2rpc.pl Graphical User Interface (GUI) Client (currently wxWidgets) NASA Field System e-RemoteCtrl RPC Interface- definition RPC RPC = (Sun) Remote Procedure Calls SSH = Secure Shell „e-RemoteCtrl“ software – the communication stack for a remote operator Wettzell Software Toolbox (well tested SW modules)

10. FS Monitor Client GUI TCP/IP-Network FS Monitor Client Communication FS Monitor Server Communication FS Monitor Server Functionality FS Monitor Device … Server functionality Communication generated with the software generator idl2rpc.pl Graphical User Interface (GUI) Client (currently wxWidgets) NASA Field System e-RemoteCtrl RPC Interface- definition RPC Establish& Control SSH tunnels sshbroker RPC = (Sun) Remote Procedure Calls SSH = Secure Shell „e-RemoteCtrl“ software – the communication stack for a remote operator Wettzell Software Toolbox (well tested SW modules)

11. Status monitor Logging User input Mark 5 capacity System temperature Connection state Connection information „e-RemoteCtrl“ software – some impressions Chat

12. Commandline history Safe logfiles Filter logfiles by userdefined tokens Alarm sound (on/off) Permanent logfile filter Operator Input „e-RemoteCtrl“ software – some impressions

13. An authentication and authorization mechanism. Confirm someone is authentic and permited to access Give him a role Password + Username Individual, station specific access rights for every individual client users with fine grained access levels (e.g. only read rights for monitoring or dedicated change rights to interact) „e-RemoteCtrl“ software – authentication & authorization

14. SysMon System Monitoring at Wettzell

15. - Collect data from several sensors at the telescope and site - Visualize the data with graphs and diagrams - Archive the collected data - (React ) according to predefined rules ) SysMon – System Monitoring at Wettzell → Get a better knowledge about the system behavior during 1. Session 2. Post processing

16. SysMon – System Monitoring at Wettzell Local safety for people and systems in combination with reliability in operations Data for science and analysis Data for system operations Data for diagnosis Meteo, WVR, Clock offsets, … => low sampling rates => as scheduled Power supply, wind uploads, emergency stops, rack temp., … => medium sampling rates => permanently Servo currents, contouring errors, … => high sampling rates => on demand See also: Monitoring and Control Interface Collaboration Group

17. SysMon – System Monitoring at Wettzell

18. Windsensor display Safety-system display SysMon – System Monitoring at Wettzell

19. Current status – a “e-RemoteCtrl” network

20. Current status – a “e-RemoteCtrl” network parallel remote attendance test IVS Cont11 Test

21. Current status – a “e-RemoteCtrl” network TIGO Webcam TIGO e-RemoteCtrl Wettzell Control Wettzell Mark5B+ Control TIGO Shifts

22. 22 Thank you Software available under http://www.econtrol-software.de