The data organizer: A high traffic node for tracking detector data

The data organizer is part of a real-time tracker for hadron collider exper iments. It constitutes the tracker interface to the data acquisition (DAQ): a high-speed data-traffic node, where thousands of words are received and simultaneously organized in an internal structured data base, to be later q uickly retrieved and delivered in response to specific requests. It is capa ble of processing data at a rate of 40 MHz, thanks to the use of fast and v ery dense devices. The use of programmable logic allows easy upgrades, evol ution, and fast reconfiguration to adapt the interface to different trigger and DAQ needs. The hardware-dedicated structure optimizes speed, size, and cost.