The Vulcan laser is operated through a complex computer control system comprising a widely distributed network of a dozen modern Windows-based PCs.

The Vulcan laser facility is run by a team of laser operators. In the Vulcan Main control room the laser operator has immediate access to a number of control screens.

These screens show the current status of the laser configuration (e.g. which beamlines are active, which oscillators or amplifiers are selected) as well as allowing direct and remote control of device settings and physical positions of pneumatic mirror slides and alignment devices such as crosswires, all via touchscreen actions.

There are a number of peripheral PCs that control basic system timing and associated diagnostic equipment such as streak cameras.

The control system monitors the status of the laser at all times and through a large number of interlock checks provides a safe method of firing high power laser shots.

The computer systems control the sequencing of the laser and also function as a complete data acquisition and analysis package - collecting, analysing and archiving a wide range of system data, from single point energy readings, multiple one-dimensional waveforms to 2D image capture.