Results from a data acquisition system prototype project using a switch-based event builder

A prototype of a high-bandwidth parallel event builder has been designed and tested. The architecture is based on a simple switching network and is adaptable to a wide variety of data acquisition systems. An eight-channel system with a peak throughput of 160 Mbytes/s has been implemented. It is modularly expandable to 64 channels (over 1 Gbyte/s). The prototype uses a number of relatively recent commercial technologies, including very-high-speed fiber-optic data links, high integration crossbar switches, and embedded RISC processors. It is based on an open architecture which permits the installation of new technologies with little redesign effort. >