Documents/SoftwareArchitecture

Open Radar Software Architecture

Introduction

The Open Radar Software Architecture will provide well defined interfaces, protocols, and components for producing radar software. Real time data transport will be accomplished using multicasting and a common Object Transport Layer (OTL) with data objects in binary (XDR) and XML formats. Multicasting allows multiple software agents to access data, commands, status, configuration, and debugging information easily and without use of excessive network bandwidth. Data with lower bandwidth and latency requirements will be delivered using HTTP and XML. All information in the system will be manipulated using Uniform Resource Indicators (URI) and common Namespace and structuring conventions. Experiment management will be provided using XML documents and a Radar specific interface to version management software. Storage and management of analyzed data products will be performed using the Madrigal database.

The software itself will be constructed using a component-glue model. Components requiring high performance will be written in C and bound together using the scripting language Python. In some instances Java will be used for interfaces and device drivers. Extensive use of open source software libraries will help to minimize code development.