The Computing Division also provides direct support for major experiments and projects through experiment support groups within the Computing Division. For its part, the experiment designates an online contact person to serve as a coordinator for the experiment in matters relating to online computing and data acquisition. In addition, each experiment appoints a person generally available at Fermilab and familiar with the offline computing of the experiment to serve as a liaison from the experiment to the Division. The experiment's offline liaison provides information about computing to the experiment and channels feedback from the experimenters to the Division. The experiment's major requests for resources should come through this person.
Liaisons make possible clear and consistent communication.
The experiment online and offline liaisons help the experiment, which may have more than 100 people actively engaged in data acquisition and analysis, speak to the Division with one voice. The experiment and the Computing Division liaisons negotiate major requests for resources. If the request doesn't conform to the general groundwork in the experiment's MOU, it may be necessary to write an addendum to the MOU or otherwise come to written agreement. Experimenters should familiarize themselves with their experiment's own procedures and methodologies and contact the experiment's liaisons before requesting unusual or large resources from the Computing Division. All equipment purchased by the Computing Division as part of an experiment's MOU comes from this pool.