On Monday this week the LHC Performance workshop kicked off in a very chilly Chamonix (-12°C in town at midday, nearer -30°C on the top of Les Grand Montets).

The first day was devoted to a critical review of 2011. It was a very good year but the day focused on examining the performance and identifying possible improvements to critical systems such as beam instrumentation and machine protection.

The high-intensity beams the LHC managed to collide last year sparked a number of issues around the ring including beam-induced heating of hardware, and problematic vacuum spikes. Our present understanding of these problems was presented and possible solutions discussed. The immediate aim is to maximize the performance of the 2012 run with one eye on the more distant future.