Transcript Cabled Observatory Data Presentation

Networking for
Ocean Bottom Observatories
Taken from the
Cabled Observatory Presentation
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
February 2006
System Development and Testing
Objectives
• The Observatory structure should be
invisible to the user.
• To maintain reliability, minimal complexity
should be placed on the ocean floor.
• The Observatory should not impose
restrictions which will make realistic testing
of instruments difficult or time-consuming.
• Highly reliable COTS components should
be used where available.
The Ideal Observatory Structure
• “If it works in the Lab, it should also work
on the Observatory.”
• The Observatory should provide
reasonable levels of well-conditioned
power.
• Data and Control communications should
be transparent.
One Observatory Implementation
• Configure the Observatory as an
extension of a Local Area Network
originating at the Shore Station.
• Use Ethernet TCP/IP protocol to handle
multiplexing and error correction.
Benefits
• The user can set up a model network in
his lab and operate in the “full Observatory
configuration” from the earliest prototype.
• After deployment, the TCP/IP connectivity
can be extended virtually anywhere if
desired.
• This level of expertise is available at most
any participating institution.
Data
• The user can interact in real time with his
instrument to optimize his data recovery.
• Data can be archived on shore and
downloaded periodically or streamed
continually to the user.
Conclusions
• A standard Local Area Network is a wellunderstood configuration with a very wide
range of COTS equipment to chose from.
• The user can test his instrument – from
the earliest prototype stage – in a
configuration virtually identical to the
Observatory.