The Interfaces & Data Engineering (IDE) section is responsible for the definition, development, and operation of user-facing interfaces and data-centric systems that underpin the CERN accelerator control system. IDE provides the software platforms, applications, and services that enable operators, engineers, and physicists to configure, operate, monitor, analyse, and evolve the CERN accelerator complex and its supporting technical infrastructure.
IDE plays a central role in ensuring coherence across the control system by aligning user interfaces, configuration data, and operational data with the global strategy and priorities of the BE-CSS group.
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User Interfaces and Applications
IDE defines and steers the strategy for graphical user interface (GUI) technologies used in Controls-related applications across the Accelerator & Technology Sector (ATS). It leads the development and maintenance of graphical applications that serve as the primary interactive entry points to core CSS systems and services.
IDE is fully responsible for a broad portfolio of mission-critical and standalone applications, including (but not limited to):
• Control and monitoring applications for accelerator and infrastructure systems
• Fault tracking and operations logbooks
• Schedule management and planning tools
• Dashboards, fixed displays, and RAD tools
To ensure long-term sustainability and consistency, IDE promotes a common application development approach, based on a streamlined and coherent set of technologies. It develops and maintains reusable GUI frameworks, components, and utilities, favouring mainstream and industry-standard solutions wherever possible.
IDE actively follows the evolution of the GUI technology landscape, taking into account CERN-specific constraints and requirements, and drives the necessary transitions to keep applications modern, maintainable, and effective.
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Python Distributions, Development Environment, & SDKs
Python is a critically important user-facing development language for high-level accelerator controls at CERN. IDE provides a modern Python platform supporting multiple Python versions, with long-term support aligned to the Accelerator Schedule.
IDE delivers the tools and services enabling Python development across the controls community:
• Development tooling including code templates, GitLab integration, and pre-commit hooks to support consistent, high-quality code
• Community engagement through user meetings, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration
• Operational deployment tooling for control system applications
As responsible for the Python Control System SDK, IDE collaborates with service owners within BE-CSS to provide a coherent, user-centric, and comprehensive set of APIs for control system interactions - from access to the CCS (PyCCDA) and logged data (NXCALS), to device access (PyDA).
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Configuration & Data Engineering
IDE provides the systems and services used to manage the data describing both physical and logical configurations of the CERN accelerator complex, experimental areas, and supporting technical infrastructure.
Given that the control system is largely data-driven, IDE is responsible for enabling the coordination and orchestration of configuration changes across the control system as a whole. This includes providing software platforms, APIs, and business logic that reflect the workflows and procedures used to configure and evolve the system.
IDE takes a leading role in steering CSS developments towards a globally integrated configuration model, ensuring consistency across a distributed controls architecture. Integration with domain-specific systems is carried out in close collaboration with the relevant CSS sections.
IDE is not responsible for data entry or the intrinsic quality of entered data, beyond what can be programmatically validated by its systems.
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Functional Layouts & Engineering Integration
IDE provides the systems and tools used to manage the functional (physical) layout of the CERN accelerator complex and supporting infrastructure, which form a critical bridge between controls and engineering.
These tools support:
• Coherent integration of beam line components
• Planning of future layouts
• Interfaces with EN department activities and the CERN CMMS
In the beams domain, functional layouts serve as a foundation for logical control configurations and provide detailed optical layout data used by beam physicists. This supports data integrity, the generation of initial operational settings, and the mechanical alignment of beam line elements.
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Operational and Archival Data Services
IDE is responsible for providing data archival systems and repositories that support diagnostics, analysis, and long-term understanding of beam and equipment performance over the lifetime of the CERN accelerators.
This includes platforms such as NXCALS, which expose data through programming APIs and, where appropriate, graphical user interfaces for end users.
IDE works in close partnership with the CERN IT department, which provides the underlying storage infrastructure, and relies on software engineering technologies provided by the relevant BE-CSS software engineering sections.
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Collaboration, Support, and Stakeholders
To deliver complete and coherent solutions, IDE plans its developments in close alignment with other BE-CSS sections and according to the global priorities of the group. While IDE retains responsibility for its technologies and platforms in the frame defined by the BE-CSS Technical Board, members of other CSS sections contribute to IDE-led developments, and IDE actively collaborates on cross-section initiatives.
IDE stakeholders are spread across the Accelerator & Technology Sector (ATS) and include operations teams, equipment specialists, experimental area coordinators, accelerator physicists, and engineers.
Beyond best-effort support for operational services, IDE engages proactively with its user community to:
• Capture evolving requirements
• Advise on best use of IDE systems and services
• Ensure that applications and platforms continue to fulfil their purpose in a changing technical and operational landscape