A common underlying architecture approach to test systems design

One of the biggest test related topics of this decade has been the use of COTS hardware and software. This has been driven by the need to reduce development and maintenance costs, and to try and achieve a commonality between test systems. The systems integrator then has the task of taking many different industry and de-facto standards, and seamlessly building them into the final system. This paper deals with the development of a Common Underlying Architecture (CUA) which forms the "glue" to interface between many different standards such as ATLAS and VXIplug&play. This provides an open development and run-time system where the customer can choose from several different software languages and operating systems, whilst maintaining a common operator interface, a degree of resilience to obsolescence and the capability to extend the use of the Test System. The concept and definition of a CUA is currently the subject of on-going studies within the UK MoD. Various packaging and mounting options are discussed which allow the system to be configured for the particular application from factory test through to rugged field deployable systems.