ALICE Data Challenges

When fully operational, the ALICE experiment will take data at a rate of 1.5 GB/s. This rate is more than an order of magnitude higher than that of the other LHC experiments. To be ready for this very high rate and to understand early on what the possible problems might be, we have decided to start the <I>ALICEData Challenges (ADC)</I>. The idea is that the ADCs will be repeated once or twice a year until the LHC goes online. The unique aspect of the ADCs is that it involves the complete ALICE data taking chain: form DAQ, via event builder, via filter, to object database to mass storage system. Progressively, with each ADC we shall try to achieve higher data rates, more realistic event filters and raw data models.