MODEL: A software suite for data acquisition

MODEL is a new suite of modular data-acquisition software. It is aimed at the needs of LEP experiments, and is also general enough to be more widely used. It can accomodate a variety of users styles. It runs on a set of loosely coupled processors, and makes use of the remote procedure call technique. Implemented originally for the VAX family, some of its services have already been extended to other systems, including embedded microprocessors. The software modules available include facilities for data-flow management, a framework for monitoring programs, a window-oriented human interface, an error message utility, a process control utility and a run control scheme. It is already in use in a variety of experiments, and is still under development in the light of user experience. (orig.)