Specifications

• S. Ellingson, “MCS Architecture,” Ver. 4, LWA Engineering Memo MCS0007, Nov 7, 2009.
[online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/.
The MCS Common ICD is the basis for passing of command and status information between MCS and
other LWA-1 Level-1 subsystems:
• S. Ellingson, “MCS Common ICD,” Ver. 1.0, Long Wavelength Array Engineering Memo
MCS0005, April 4, 2009. [online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/.
MCS software: Software for MCS/Scheduler (the core component of the MCS, which interacts with all
other subsystems and provides the interface to the higher level functions) is in a functional pre-alpha
release status. Anyone can download and experiment with this software. No releasable development of
software for the other two MCS computers (“Executive” and “Task Processor”) has been done.
• S. Ellingson, “MCS/Scheduler Software Version 0.4 (pre-alpha),” MCS0021, Nov 7, 2009.
[online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/. The release tarball includes a comprehensive readme
file documenting the software, including numerous test cases. The readme is included as an
attachment to this document.
• See also “System Diagnostic & Emulation software” below.
MCS Data Recorder (MCS-DR) is a complete subsystem within MCS, but treated internally by MCS as
five distinct Level-1 subsystems (corresponding to the five MCS-DR PCs).
• C. Wolfe, S. Ellingson & C. Patterson, “MCS Data Recorder Preliminary Design & Verification,”
MCS0018, Aug 26, 2009. [online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/. Also available as LWA
Memo 165. Note changes since this memo are documented below.
• C. Wolfe, S. Ellingson & C. Patterson, “MCS-DR Storage Unit,” MCS0019, Sep 23, 2009.
[online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/.
• C. Wolfe, S. Ellingson & C. Patterson, “Interface Control Document for Monitor and Control
System Data Recorder,” MCS0020, Oct 10, 2009. [online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/.
• C. Wolfe, “MCS Data Recorder Operating System Version 0.8 (pre-alpha),” MCS0022, Nov 10,
2009. [online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/. The release tarball includes a comprehensive
readme file documenting the software. The readme is included as an attachment to this
document.
System Emulation & Diagnostic Software. The software identified below is not part of the MCS design
baseline, but has been developed to assist with MCS development, testing, and integration. This
software is made freely available to assist in the development of other subsystems with respect to
integration with MCS.
• A. Srinivasan and S. Ellingson, “Python code for direct communication with subsystems,”
MCS0015, Aug 7, 2009. [online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/.
• A. Srinivasan and S. Ellingson, “MCS ICD Compliance Check Software,” MCS0013, July 31,
2009. [online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/.
• A. Srinivasan and S. Ellingson, “MCS Common ICD Emulation Software for SHL,” MCS0012,
Aug 7, 2009. [online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/.
• S. Ellingson, “MCS Common ICD Network Check Software,” MCS0009, Ver. 2, Apr 4, 2009.
[online] http://www.ece.vt.edu/swe/lwavt/.