New control architecture for the SPS accelerator at CERN

The Control System for the 450 Gev proton accelerator SPS at CERN was conceived and implemented some 18 years ago. The 16 Bit minicomputers with their proprietary operating system and interconnection with a dedicated network do not permit the use of modern workstations, international communication standards and industrial software packages. The upgrading of the system has therefore become necessary. After a short review of the history and the current state of the SPS control system, the paper describes how CERN's new control architecture, which will be common to all accelerators, will be realized at the SPS. The migration path ensuring a smooth transition to the final system is outlined. Once the SPS upgrade is complete and following some enhancements to the LEP control system, the operator in the SPS/LEP control center will be working in a single uniform control environment. (author)