Introduction

I've been at the lab since November of 1987. Initially, I came on board as a contract fabrication technician through Abacus Technical services. I was hired as a full time electronics technologist in March of 1988. I worked originally for physicists developing beam diagnostic systems for the accelerator. I gradually became increasingly involved in developing the control software for these systems. This gradually grew into development of virtually all of the controls logic (in the original TACL control system) for all injector and beamline controls (except RF and Cryo) for the machine through the Front End Test. By that time, I had migrated to the controls software group where I stayed for several years. This position evolved into the systems administrator and manager for all Controls Software systems and networks. After several years of systems and network administration, I moved to the site Computer Center (in the Physics division) to allow me the opportunity to work with a greater variety of computer hardware and software systems. Here in the Computer Center I have developed considerable additional expertise in Unix systems administration, web server configuration and administration, enterprise application development, and advanced Windows Systems administration and Domain architecture.

Areas of Expertise at the Lab

• Windows 2000 Domain Architecture
• Advanced Windows Systems Administration and Management
• CUE Password Management Facility (jpasswd)
• CUE Web Server design, administration for site web server, group servers
• CUE MySQL (database) server design and administration
• Enterprise application development (java, c/c++, java servlets, jsp, php, etc.)
• Advanced Unix Administration (principally HP-UX and Linux)
• VxWorks Realtime OS Software Development
• Control System Software / Hardware Development
• X11 (X-terminals, font servers, etc.)
• Beam diagnostic devices (BPMs, viewers, harps, etc.) and associated controls
• Local area network design

Current Projects

• JLab Windows 2000 Server Deployment Planning
• JLab Sitewide Password Management (jpasswd)

Recent Projects

• CUE Web Server Systems Design / Management
• CUE MySQL Group DB Server Configuration Design / Management
• Sitewide X-Terminal Configuration Design / Management

Old Projects

• Early BPM detectors, front-end electronics and DA/Controls
• Developed automated test stand HW and SW for beam diagnostic devices
• Developed controls hardware and software for beam viewers, harps, capture section temperature control, injector high voltage controls, early (circa 1989) Injector magnet controls, basically all original control logic for the early injector through the Front End Test for everything except RF and Cryogenic controls.
• Developed and managed early network to support evolving accelerator with TACL software
• ~1993 -- Investigated the techniques and developed the methods necessary to implement subnet-based routing (static, initially) at the lab. Previously, the entire lab was networked (like many facilities of the time) via a single, 10Mbps backbone, with bridged segments for buildings. A bridged segment was further fanned out via repeaters to nodes within a building. Working to coordinate this with the computer center, developed a standard "subnet mask" for the site, which is still in use.
• ~1994 -- As the accelerator control system was changed to EPICS, I updated the network to evolve alongside the control system. Introduced "layer 3" network switching to allow creation and management of a large number of subnets to support accelerator controls several years before layer 3 switching was readily available. This specifically allowed the network to support the evolution of the accelerator and its control system at much reduced network costs.
• I developed the "fiefdom" concept within Accelerator systems to provide management and operational autonomy for groups of systems.
• I developed and implemented network firewalling to provide isolation between the production "controls" network, and the bulk of the remainder of the site.
• I developed a redundant network to support accelerator operations and various satellite facilities (CHL, CTF, etc.).
• I served oncall 24x365 for several years with only small breaks for a couple of vacations out of state.
• Developed numerous tools and utilities for diagnostic use throughout the control system.
• Laid the groundwork for development of strong system config standards with the accelerator controls group for desktop as well as development and controls systems.
• Developed system for automated construction of HP-UX workstations.
• Worked on high-availability clustering approaches to provide highly reliable servers so tupport accelerator ops. This effort was eventually abandoned in favor of other lower cost alternatives.
• Sitewide X-Terminal Configuration Design / Management

Last revised: July 9, 2003.