Support by CERN

The COMPASS collaboration expects to profit from the various ongoing R&D projects at CERN aiming at the development of components for a high rate DAQ system for LHC. Support for the modification of the design of the GASSIPLEX chip (RD26) is requested. Furthermore we are interested in the developments of readout electronics for microstrip detectors by RD20 and calorimeters by RD16, which are partly also taken up by experiments outside CERN (e.g. HERA-B).

In addition, exchange of information with R&D projects on triggering (RD11, RD12), data transfer (SCI: RD24) and eventbuilding (RD31) are welcome.

CERN already provides OS9 and Lynx support, and most likely will continue to do so. COMPASS would like to profit from the experience gained with these operating systems at CERN.

The COMPASS collaboration is prepared to provide a data recording system using high speed, high capacity tape media as outlined in the proposal, if it will prove necessary. However we would very much appreciate to cooperate with CERN to set up a scheme for central data recording as currently implemented for NA48. This scheme, widely used at other HEP laboratories, would have several advantages in comparison to the standalone option:

• First of all, manpower could be used efficiently.
• In addition a more cost effective maintenance can be provided at the central site.
• Lower latency in case of a tape drive failure is possible by a temporary use of other units not assigned to any specific task at the moment of data taking.
• Finally, central data recording would have a logical continuation in the processing of the data on a centrally operated COMPASS cluster within the framework of SHIFT.