Requirements and solutions for accelerator control systems

Throughout the life cycle of control systems, we are faced with the question of what fabulous new piece of hardware or software should be used and how to integrate this into a viable system. Accelerators cover a wide range, from simple cyclotrons for isotope production, to cascades of cyclotrons for variable energy and multiple particles, this precludes a standard answer for all cases. The system requirements according to the purpose and nature of the accelerator are analyzed and we try to extract some guidelines for implementation, development and maintenance of the appropriate control systems. We then try to analyze present trends in a selection of fields like operating systems, commercial systems, software sharing, field busses, etc.