Introduction

1. Introduction Torre Wenaus BNL May ‘99 STAR Computing Meeting BNL May 24, 1999

2. Recent & Expected Arrivals • New member of the core BNL computing team: • Mei-Li Chen, online developer • From U Maryland (Super-K, Milagro) • Very experienced online/DAQ expert • Has online event pool interface to DAQ working for full events over socket connection • Systems support hire (online systems; general computing infrastructure) expected soon (…?) STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

3. Status • Infrastructure stabilized! • The train has pulled into the station, so people can catch up! • Core group now in ‘consolidation’ mode and focusing on commissioning run essentials • Bug fixing, documentation, examples, help with online integration, online monitoring needs, developing and responding to QA • Online system pre-production release • Run control; subsystem control,configuration, slow control • Essential components of the system now in place • Near term production plan • StMcEvent tests, peripheral signal and backgd, strangeness AuAu steady production, spectra AuAu • Ongoing production with simu data to • meet PWG needs; exercise and debug codes; perform QA; keep CRS well oiled (CRS became functional again Friday) • of course second priority to real data when it comes! STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

4. Working with StEvent: doEvents.C • doEvents.C • Standard means of reading DST files and feeding them to StEvent based analysis • Has handled XDF files OK, but hasn’t handled ROOT files properly up to now • Needs to transparently handle all filetypes; shield distinctions from user. Victor now has this implemented. • On Linux, all filetypes (MDC1 XDF, MDC2 XDF, MDC2 ROOT, post-MDC2 ROOT) work transparently. Still a problem on Solaris that Victor is working on • Multiple files handled STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

5. Using Persistent StEvent • StAnalysisMaker changes: • Remove ‘title’ (second parameter) from constructor • #include StEvent/XXX.hh -> XXX.h • Change method of event pointer retrieval: • Former: • StEventReaderMaker* evMaker = (StEventReaderMaker*) gStChain->Maker("events"); • if (! evMaker->event()) return kStOK; // If no event, we're done • StEvent& ev = *(evMaker->event()); • New: • StEvent* mEvent = (StEvent *) GetInputDS("StEvent"); • if (! mEvent) return kStOK; // If no event, we're done • StEvent& ev = *mEvent; STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

6. This Meeting • Joint online/offline focusing on real data readiness and the immediate needs of the commissioning run • Data flow from DAQ to online, offline • Online system status • Processing of DAQ data in offline • Event I/O, data cataloguing • Conditions database • Online monitoring • Subsystem and global reconstruction for year 1 detectors • RCF and production • Current offline software in production, with people doing analysis QA on the results • In this and subsequent weeks try to reproduce some of the very productive environment of MDC2 STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

7. Goals for Commissioning run environment • - stable offline environment as seen by users • - Maker structure and interface stable. Changes affecting the user • beyond those already made post-MDC2 are not foreseen. • - StEvent as used by analysis codes has been stable; some functionality • additions • - adding persistency to StEvent while keeping it unchanged as seen • by analysis codes has (subject to wider testing) been successful • and so can serve as a basis for uDST development and StEvent • extension to reconstruction (something we hoped to achieve but • did not promise) • - needs discussion at this meeting • - macros/Makers provided to transparently handle all data file • types (XDF, MDC2 root files, new root files) STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

8. Commissioning environment (2) • - capability to process raw DAQ data • - stably functional data storage • - post-MDC2 ROOT I/O improvements implemented in STAR address • deficiencies in standard ROOT I/O: robustness against partially • completed jobs, forward and backward read compatibility for • data files, robust management of multiple event components on • different files • - schema evolution approach of Victor has to be (if at all possible) • fitted into overall ROOT I/O; long discussions hopefully converging • - capabilities satisfy commissioning and year 1 needs • - populated conditions database in use via stable interface STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

9. RCF Issues • CRS working again, as of yesterday, after long absence • Manpower: supposed to plateau at 34 in ‘99. Actual: 23 (1 offer is out) • CCD: 4 of 8; Experiments: 4 of 8 • MDC2 experience • HPSS: similar level of problems to MDC1 • Stabler after fixes towards end of MDC, but still we see instability • Latest version (4.1) installed; stress testing today. • Disk: major access problems. NFS, AFS translator (Linux) • Move to real AFS 3.5; supported on current Linux • New CRS mgmt software: Major rewrite • Better monitoring and user interaction, improved HPSS interaction; worked well. Adequate for year 1. LSF not needed in CRS. • STAR program size! • Linux 2.2 kernel installed; swap increased to ~2GB • STAR CRS machines will all be 512MB (all CAS machines are 512) STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

10. RCF Issues (2) • STAR Executable size 512MB with all makers (tfs), 587MB (trs) • Security issues • RCF switched off STAR machine access to RCF disks for new machines • Switching increasingly to AFS • Have partial agreement with RCF to allow us access to data disks; needs to be made official by RCF and implemented • Procurements • New Linux (CRS,CAS), Sun (CAS), disk (all RAID), and MDS (drives, processors) procurements underway • ADSM batch system June 8 • Validate migrated OSM data by then • Will need people with data in OSM to do spot checks • Details due from RCF STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

11. Post Commissioning • - extending data management tools (mysql DB + disk file management • + HPSS file management + multi-component ROOT files) • - complete schema evolution, in collaboration with ROOT team • - management of CAS processing and data distribution both for mining • and individual physicist level analysis • - completion of the DB: integration of slow control as data source, • completion of online integration, implementation of DB as Geant • geometry data source, populating the DB for detectors other than • the TPC • - extend and apply OO data model (StEvent) to reconstruction, so • new reconstruction development can work with StEvent • - completion of online and the online processing farm for monitoring • - improving QA tools and procedures • - improving and better integrating visualization tools STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

12. Post Commissioning (2) • - reconstruction and analysis code development • directed at addressing QA results and year 1 code completeness • and quality • following the priorities emerging from this meeting • responding to the real-data outcomes of the commissioning run STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

13. New Package Creation • It is important to check in your code; submit your Makers as packages in the repository • When bugs or changes affect existing code, we can identify the affected code • Code sharing, collaboration, example for others, integration into QA, etc. etc. • When HyperNews email is working again, will set up a forum for requesting and creating new packages • Awareness and consultation on new package proposals STAR Computing Meeting 5/99

14. Tutorials • Wed (and Thurs?) am: presentation/discussion sessions as a group • Followed by individuals or workgroups trying things out, with core computing people and experienced users sitting in and roaming the halls to help • Wed am: • Kathy on bfcread.C, histogram integration, general usage • Writing analysis code and using StEvent • Gene (and others..? Torre? Victor? Thomas? Craig Ogilvie?) • Wed or Thurs am: • Pavel on using GSTAR • Fri am: • Thomas on using UML and Rational Rose • Fri pm: • Issues that come up in the week? STAR Computing Meeting 5/99