The configuration system of the ATLAS Trigger

The ATLAS detector at CERN's LHC will be exposed to proton-proton collisions at a rate of 40 MHz. To reduce the data rate, only potentially interesting events are selected by a three-level trigger system. The first level is implemented in custom-made electronics, with an output rate to less than 100 kHz. The second and third level are software triggers with a final output rate of 100 to 200 Hz. A system has been designed and implemented that holds and records the full configuration information of all three trigger levels at a centrally maintained location. This system provides fast access to consistent configuration information of the online trigger system for the purpose of data taking as well as to all parts of the offline trigger simulation. The use of relational database technology provides a means of reliable recording of the trigger configuration history over the lifetime of the experiment. In addition to the online system, tools for flexible browsing and manipulation of trigger configurations, and for their distribution across the ATLAS reconstruction sites have been developed. The usability of this design has been demonstrated in dedicated configuration tests of the ATLAS level-1 Central Trigger and of a 600-node software trigger computing farm. Further tests on a computing cluster which is part of the final high level trigger system were also successful.