Scientists at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) are solving one of the world's most challenging distributed systems control problems using ORBexpress. The NIF's Integrated Computer Control System (ICCS) must integrate more than 40,000 control points to manage 192 laser beamlines that deliver 2 MegaJoule pulses of optical energy onto a BB-sized fusion fuel capsule in a pulse 25 nanoseconds long. The result is an energy-producing inertial confinement fusion reaction similar to the ignition of a small sun.

"ICCS must be highly automated and robust, and must operate continuously around the clock," says John Woodruff, Livermore's Lead Architect for Supervisory Software. The control system is being built with Ada 95 on a "modern object-oriented software framework that will be extensible and maintainable throughout the facility's life cycle." ICCS computer scientist Robert Carey cites particular features of ORBexpress's most recent release. "Its reference domain concept allows us to isolate and use multiple versions of application software or operating systems. And it is visibly speedier than earlier versions, which is important in applications involving huge amounts of data. We find that the performance is sufficient to meet our most demanding requirements." Within the ORBexpress environment, NIF programmers can develop code that is "reusable across multiple platforms, applications, and indeed other projects," says Woodruff.

About Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a premier applied-science national security laboratory operated by the University of California under contract to the Department of Energy. One of its primary missions is to ensure that the nation's nuclear weapons remain safe, secure, and reliable and to prevent the spread and use of nuclear weapons worldwide. This mission uses LLNL's programs in advanced defense technologies, lasers, energy, environment, biosciences, and basic science to apply the Lab's unique capabilities, and to enhance the competencies needed for its national security mission. The Laboratory serves as a resource to U.S. government and a partner with industry and academia.