Using mu2etest.fnal.gov to Access MicroTCA Crate

This page briefly describes the usage of the mu2etest.fnal.gov gateway node to access the MicroTCA crate which is used for the Precistion Time Profile Monitor (PTPM), as well as other test applications related to the Mu2e experiment.

Details of the crate and node setup and configuration can be found here.

Access

The only way to access the mu2etest node is via SSH, using valid Fermilab kerberos credentials.  If you would like access to this node, please send Eric Prebys your kerberos principle. 

Note that this node is only available from within the Fermilab network, or via VPN.  In particular, it is not directly accessible from either the "guest" or "eduroam" wireless networks. 

Communication with MicroTCA Crate

There are four ways to communicate with the crate:

Ethernet Communication

You can currently communicate with UTC002 MicroTCA Controller Hub (MCH) and AMC502 FPGA carrier board at IP addresses 192.168.40.250 and 192.168.40.252, which have been defined as utc002 and amc502, respectively.  They each understand SSH and SCP, but they are not kerberized.  You must log into each with username "root", password "root".  For example:
> ssh root@amc502
password: root

Note that by default, both have file systems which are mounted READONLY, so to make any changes, you need to remount the disks with:
> mount -o remount,rw /

Obviously exercise extreme caution when making any changes to the file system, and always synchronize the disks with
> sync

after making changes.

ScorpionWare Crate Management Tool

The ScorpionWare system management tool is described here.  You can start the software by typing:
> sysmanager

If it's the first time you're using it, you'll need to define the connection with "New->Carrier".  Give it a name (e.g. "uTCA") and enter the IP address 192.168.16.1.  Leave the username and password blank.

After that, double-clicking on the name will bring up the connection.  Leave the username and password blank and click OK.

RS-232 Connection

Because of potential locking conflicts, please only use the RS-232 connection from the "mu2e" account!  All authorized users have access to this account.

Type
> minicom       (aliased to 'minicom -o')

to open an RS-232 link to whichever port the the cable is physically attached to.

It's important to exit the program correctly so that the lock files are deleted. Do this by typing 'CNTL-a q'. It will ask "Leave without reset?".  Hit <return> for "Yes". 

Troubleshooting

If you get a locking error when starting the program, it either means someone else is using the program, or that someone terminated a session incorrectly. If you determine that no one else is using the connection, delete the lock files by typing:
> rm -f /var/lock/LCK*

There are sometimes problems with the connection that can be fixed by starting the program and exiting with "CNTL-a x", which will reset the port.

JTAG Interface

This is the physical link tot he Xilinx chip on the AMC502, accessed via USB.  It is used with hardware manager in the Xilinx Vivado software, described in the next section.

Vivado (Xilinx Software)

The system is loaded with version 2016.2 of the Vivado design tools, which are accessed by typing
> vivado

ACNET Console

To open an ACNET console

System Backup

We use the 'fwbackups' program to do two types of incremental backups:
Log in as root and do



(last updated 7-SEP-2016 by Eric Prebys)