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CERN openlab for DataGrid applications
Annual Report for 2002

 

The CERN openlab for DataGrid applications is a framework for evaluating and integrating cutting-edge technologies or services in partnership with industry, focusing on potential solutions for the LCG. The openlab invites members of the industry to join and contribute systems, resources or services, and carry out with CERN large-scale highly-performing evaluation of their solutions in an advanced integrated environment.
In a nutshell, the major achievements in 2002 were: the creation of a solid management structure for the project (the openlab Management Unit), the successful incorporation of a third partner (Hewlett Packard, joining
Enterasys and Intel, and following the withdrawal of KPNQwest), the specification of a three-year technical program to construct and test the opencluster (a powerful compute and storage farm), and the building up of the initial version of the system.

 

Management

The project is formally led by the IT Division Leader, seconded by the Associate Head, the Chief Technology Officer, the Development and Communication Officer, and formal liaison persons for each of the openlab industrial partner. They form the openlab Management Unit (oMU), due to provide a consistent, stable interface to the industrial partners.

 

Industrial Partners

The year 2002 started with three partners (called openlab sponsors): Enterasys Networks (Network Equipment Provider), Intel Corporation (processor technology manufacturer), KPNQwest (Network Service Provider) The annual Board of Sponsors meeting was held the 11th of March, and the annual report issued at this occasion. KPNQwest withdrew in the spring, having filed for bankruptcy. Hewlett Packard (HP) joined in the course of the summer. In the context of HP's integrating the consortium, CERN joined Gelato, a federation aiming at developing open-source software for IA-64 Linux platforms. Preparatory work started with all three sponsors to formalize the agreements between these companies and CERN. Discussions took place during the second half of the year to integrate a fourth partner in the field of storage technologies.

 

Technical progress

The openlab is constructing a pilot compute and storage farm called the opencluster, based on HP's dual processors machines, Intel's Itanium Processors Family (IPF) processors, Enterasys's 10-Gbps switches and a storage system to be provided by additional partner(s). A three-phase technical plan has been draws up (phase 1: creation of local cluster; phase 2: gridification and interworking with European sites; phase 3: interworking with USA sites). 

A 6-machine development cluster based on HP-Itanium2 system was set up. An additional 32 systems (that is 64 processors) are expected early in 2003. Tests of the 10Gbps switches showed teething difficulties that were reported to the manufacturer and corrected. Major physics packages (CLHEP, GEANT4, ROOT) were successfully ported and tested, and benchmarks started to be carried out, producing already notable results. Following successful negotiations with HP, two fellows will join the project in 2003, funded by HP's contribution to the openlab.

The successful development of the project requires strong technical coordination between all the partners, as the goal is to build a common, coherent system. This is the major difference with bi-lateral joint projects. To this end, a plan for technical coordination and meetings was drawn up and presented to the sponsors. 

 

Development of the openlab concept

As a parallel activity to the current openlab, work was undertaken by the openlab Development Officer to explore other openlab possibilities. One avenue for development concerns a more user-centric project, which would address mobility issues. Finally, work was undertaken on an integrated description of Grid-related activities for the popular part of the CERN annual report.

 

F.Fluckiger

 

 

 
 


Last update: Thursday, 26. January 2012 13:12


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