This series of commands is intended to be used with networks of automatic telescopes to allow automatic communications between the telescope locations. These commands when used in a telescope network such as The Global Network of Automatic Telescopes (GNAT) allow partial group files to be passed directly between telescopes. These commands along with the 200 series of query commands determine the status of the next telescope on the network, if a group file can be accepted for a night or series of nights, and where the data should be returned. It is up to the telescope control software to determine where the data should be put, and is not defined by ATIS. This series of commands is new to ATIS2000 and should be considered experimental.

5.1 NETWORKED TELESCOPE CONCEPT

The concept of networked telescopes is illustrated below:

The drawing above illustrates two methods of telescope communications. Method one assumes the APA scheduler is used to schedule the telescope. Method 2 uses the default ATIS dispatch method of scheduling. Using either method, protocol must be established between the telescopes to check conditions at next site, availability of time, IP address of telescope, input group file name, output data file name and some sort of time accounting and allocation. The ATIS commands in the telescope networking section provide this protocol.

5.2 - NETWORKED DATA FILES

The files used for passing partial group files between telescopes shall be called network files and have the following format.

NXXZZJJJ.YY

Where:
N - Signifies a networked file
XX - Indicates the sending telescope's site number
ZZ - Indicates telescope number
JJJ - Is the last three digits of the Julian date.
YY - Is a two letter sequence indicating the number of network files sent for the night.

400 SERIES - ENGINEERING and TELESCOPE NETWORKING