DMQ2: Connection of instruments to storage repositories

Overview

This work package is extremely closely coupled to the DMQ5 Work Package, ‘Improve the intelligence of the storage framework’ which provided the intelligent storage solution utilising the Kepler workflow tool.

The milestones for this work package have been achieved whilst also creating the solid foundation for development of the Distributed Integrated Multi-Sensor and Instrument Middleware (DIMSIM), planned for the ARCHER project. At the core is the Java Instrument framework developed through the significant effort invested in DMQ2 and through the partnership with University of Sydney and Indiana University.

Scoping of instruments and work case assessment

A significant investment was made in scoping the instruments and assessing work cases. The implementation for the Rigaku monitoring, IMB and Monash, was named JCU And Indiana Instrument Service (JAINIS) to try to prevent confusion with other implementations of CIMA. Integral to any deployment was the work conducted by the DMQ5 work package with the Kepler implementation of the Data Manager, see DMQ5 project report.

An initial selection of instruments

The High Frequency (HF) surface ocean radar project is still being developed and subsequently there has been no progress from technical discussions. Proof of concept architecture for an instrument middleware layer within ReefGrid has been developed and the architecture and particularly the Sensor Abstraction Layer (SAL) will be utilised in the development of the next generation of instrument Middleware, DIMSIM. Deployments of CIMA at JCU, IMB, Monash, University of Sydney, and University of Adelaide.

All intended instruments and sensors are connected to the data repositories

The original intention was to enable three Crystallography instruments, JCU, University of Sydney and University of Adelaide and this has occurred and in fact this milestone has been exceeded with the addition of Monash and IMB. Unfortunately the problems with microwave connection between Davies Reef and Townsville has prevented a live connection of ReefGrid and associated data.

The project achieved its milestones and exceeded these except in case where there were dependencies on other work packages or organisations. It is recommended that development of Instrument Middleware, DIMSIM, be continued by the Archer project to bring value to the scientific community.