Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati
At LNF, EPIK8S supports the transition to EPICS at SPARC_LAB and DAFNE BTF. EuAPS and SABINA are real facilities under commissioning; EuPRAXIA is planned for the future.
Read about the EPIK8S transition ↗INFN-A CONTROLS NETWORK · OPEN SOFTWAREControls
Controls
that connect.
From a device in the machine to a view in the control room: reusable EPICS software and EPIK8S make accelerator systems easier to build, deploy and share.
An open software space connected to the INFN-A EPICS controls network.
IOC / 01 ● ACTIVE
PV STREAM ━━━
EPICSIOCGITOPSK8S
Software, shared practice and operational context for accelerator facilities.SCROLL ↓
FROM EPICS TO EPIK8S
K8S
K8S01 / THE NETWORK
Shared controls knowledge moves everyone forward.
The INFN-A EPICS controls network promotes common guidelines, reusable code and the exchange of experience across the INFN community.
This GitHub organization is a practical home for IOC images, support modules, operator interfaces, EPIK8S charts and related software. It connects engineering work in facilities with tools that other teams can inspect and adapt.
Meet the INFN-A EPICS network ↗The primary responsibility of this group, as outlined in the “Epics Council” document, is to provide and disseminate guidelines and best practices to the broader INFN community. This extends beyond sharing code and hardware catalogs; it also includes sharing experiences to prevent the duplication of efforts and ensure efficient resource utilization.
EPICS Council · INFN-A controls network
CONTRIBUTIONS ACROSS INFN
A network built by its laboratories.
Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro
LNL contributes EPICS control engineering, IOC development and experience from accelerator systems including SPES.
Explore EPICS@LNL ↗LASA and STAR controls
The INFN Milano/LASA contribution brings the experience of the EPICS-based control system for the STAR light source into the network.
Read about STAR controls ↗EPICSIOCIBEKEPIK8SARGUS
02 / EPIK8S
Describe once. Deploy with confidence.
EPIK8S uses a declarative beamline configuration and GitOps workflow to bring EPICS IOCs and supporting services into Kubernetes.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
INFN × Diamond Light Source
EPIK8S builds on the epics-containers framework developed at Diamond Light Source. Collaboration around containerized IOCs and IBEK connects the INFN implementation with a wider EPICS community.
01Beamline YAMLDevices, IOCs and services
→
02IBEK + HelmTemplates and charts
→
03ArgoCDGitOps synchronization
→
04KubernetesIOCs and services
→
05Control roomOperational interfaces
Conceptual overview of the architecture described in the EPIK8S paper.
REPRODUCIBLE
Configuration in Git
Beamline changes can be reviewed, traced and applied from declared configuration.
REUSABLE
Shared IOC building blocks
Container images, support definitions and charts help teams reuse tested patterns.
OPERABLE
A consistent runtime
Kubernetes and ArgoCD provide a common route from configuration to running services.
03 / THE CODEAll repositories ↗
A working library for accelerator controls.
Start with the main IOC image, then explore deployment, support and operator interface repositories.
MAIN IOC IMAGE
infn-epics-ioc
The generic containerized IOC image with INFN support modules and IBEK templates.
View repository ↗EPIK8S · HELMepik8s-chart
Helm chart for the EPICS stack and beamline deployments managed through ArgoCD.
GitHub ↗PLATFORMepik8s-platform
Services and setup for the Kubernetes platform behind EPIK8S beamlines.
GitHub ↗IBEK · SUPPORTibek-support-infn
INFN support modules used to assemble device specific IOC configurations.
GitHub ↗IBEK · TEMPLATESibek-templates
Shared templates for IBEK support definitions and IOC generation.
GitHub ↗OPI · PHOEBUSepik8s-opi
Reusable operator interfaces and scripts for device groups in the control room.
GitHub ↗
04 / FACILITIES AT EVERY STAGE
Operating facilities and commissioning at LNF.
The EPIK8S paper documents operational experience at SPARC_LAB, DAFNE BTF and ELI-NP. EuAPS and SABINA are real LNF facilities under commissioning. EuPRAXIA is a future facility. Their stages are shown separately below.
Read the paper ↗DOCUMENTED DEPLOYMENTS
01 / ITALY · INFN-LNFSPARC_LABPhotoinjector
02 / ITALY · INFN-LNFDAFNE BTFBeam Test Facility
03 / ROMANIAELI-NPGamma beam system
LNF · UNDER COMMISSIONING
04 / ITALY · INFN-LNFEuAPSAdvanced photon sources 05 / ITALY · INFN-LNFSABINATHz and laser user linesFUTURE AT LNF
06 / ITALY · INFN-LNFEuPRAXIAFuture plasma acceleratorJINST 2026
05 / THE RESEARCH
The architecture behind EPIK8S.
EPIK8S: a kubernetes-based framework for scalable EPICS control system deployment in accelerator facilities
06 / LEARNING RESOURCES
Learn, present, document. Share the next step.
A starting library for the INFN EPICS community, combining completed training with presentations and source documentation.
COURSES01
EPICS Base
Inter-structure course · 20–24 October 2025
PRESENTATIONS02
EPIK8S presentations
Training and workshop material from the LNF DA Control Group.
DOCUMENTATION03
Build on the sources
Official EPICS documentation, the new EPIK8S guide and the main INFN IOC repository.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
EPIK8S in the community
Talks tracing the project from control as a service to connected operational knowledge.
2024 · INFN
Progetto EPIK8S: EPICS on K8s – Control as a Service
Workshop sul Calcolo nell’INFN · Palau · 23 May 2024
2025 · EPICSEPICS containers @INFN–LNF: EPIK8s
EPICS Collaboration Meeting · ISIS, UK · 9 April 2025
2026 · INFNFrom Control to Understanding – The software-defined evolution in accelerator control with EPIK8s and the Argus AI
Conferenza Nazionale sul Calcolo nella CSN5 · 21 October 2026
07 / A CONNECTED ECOSYSTEM
From live controls to lasting knowledge.
EPIK8S deploys and operates EPICS controls. ARGUS Knowledge Hub connects the equipment, configuration, incidents, activities and documents around those systems for accelerator control room teams.
ARGUS can import EPIK8s beamline configuration and help IOC engineers inspect templates, draft entries and check them before deployment.
08 / CONNECT
Build once. Share what works.
Explore the repositories, meet the INFN-A EPICS network and use the research as a starting point for your next control system.