2016 Abstract from Amira

Creating a Runs Database Under MIDAS  and MySQL 

   Amira Malik   Dr. Mandy Rominsky    

Abstract  

At the Fermilab Test Beam facility, scientists test their equipment against the provided  test beams. Since the equipment needs to be accurately tested, the parameters of the beam  used must be documented extensively. The Test Beam Facility has a data acquisition system  that can record the nature of each beam. However, the state of the beam and facility  instruments needs to be recalled at a later time during analysis. . In order to recall the  conditions,  Test Beam Facility needs a runs database: a way to store and recall information by  assigning tags or descriptors to each run.  During the summer, I was tasked with learning about data acquisition and recollection in  order to set up a runs database. I had to learn the coding language SQL and how to use  applications like MIDAS and MySQL as well as how the two programs interact with each other.  In the following paper I discuss the concepts of how data is acquired, how databases store and  recall information, and how MySQL and MIDAS interface with each other.