The Klearinghouse a network based model for user

The Klearinghouse: a network based model for user support George Brett NLANR Distributed Applications Support Team (NCSA/UIUC) ghb@dast. nlanr. net http: //dast. nlanr. net 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

High Performance Networks • v. BNS – National Science Foundation High Performance Connections Program • Abilene – University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development / Internet 2 • Next Generation Internet – various federal agency networks (NREN, ESNet, DREN) • Something New – not really sure yet, but there will be something after v. BNS & Abilene for Research and Education 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

The National Laboratory for Applied Network Research • • • Established in 1995, as cooperative agreement with three sites, SDSC, NCSA, PSC Initially focused on the design, development and deployment of the NSF/MCI very high performance Backbone Network Service (v. BNS) Established a new level of networking capability to support research Evolved to provide services to maintain, operate and support the use of the v. BNS, Abilene and other high-performance networks. Recently provided direct support to researchers by leveraging the use of distributed resources. 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

National Laboratory for Applied Network Research • Engineering Services (CMU/PSC) • – Assist in the establishment and use of high-performance network connections (v. BNS and Abilene) – Help optimize overall end-to-end performance – Provide information, training, and tools to manage high performance networks The Measurement and Network Analysis team (UCSD/SDSC) – Improving our understanding of service models, service metrics, and tool requirements – Searching for macro-level insights into high performance internetworking • The Distributed Applications Support team (UIUC/NCSA) – support users and applications developers – develop an Applications Clearinghouse – develop training materials and documentation 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

The National Technology Grid • Networks – high performance network services • Computational Resources – supercomputers, clusters, distributed computing resources • Communications Resources – Wired, wireless, web-based, sync & async • Other Services – Remotely controlled research equipment – Immersive environments 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

The Grid: another view 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

The DAST Clearinghouse • Advanced Applications Clearinghouse – Develop a data base of applications & people that use v. BNS and Abilene – Identify “affinity groups” of users by discipline or shared technologies – Explore concept of “User Services” for advanced networks and computational resources – Design a process / product that can be generalized or reproduced for use by other “affinity groups” 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

Applications & Middleware Projects Middleware • Scientific Visualization • Data Mining • Tele. Immersion • Remote Instrumentation • Distance Learning • Video Conferencing • Distributed Computing • email • Web Browsing • Resource discovery • Collaboration • etc. , etc. Networks • Pipes • Architecture • Operation Centers • Security • Protocols • Engineering • etc. , etc. Green slime of policy & non-technical stuff that get in the way of making technology work. 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

Current State • Online since September 1999 – With assistance of NCSA C&C Information Resources Group • 980+ Projects – Project = “meritorious application, ” research or educational activity using resources • 180+ Resources – Resouce = applications, hardware, network, software, systems (composite of other parts) • Search / Query URL – http: //dast. nlanr. net/Clearinghouse/Query. htm 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

The Klearinghouse • Next the Knowledge thing…. – People to data / information – k. Base • Information about collections (e. g. , data, meta-data, and others). – People to People – k. Space • Information about computer mediated communications tools / applications /collaboratories – People to Tools of their work – k. Tools • Information about resources / applications used by specific disciplines (e. g. , Biologist Workbench, Tele. Medicine, Sloan Digital Sky Survey). 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

Visual Model 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

Process Model 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

Issues • Management of collection – Requires proactive human intervention • Information resources autonomous and diverse • Priority placed on work at hand not planning for future • Who owns the problem? – Research lab, campus, professional org, ? ? ? 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

User Support Services • What are the new models? – (De) Centralized or at least Distributed • What works? – New model, Old model – Look to other communities (e. g. , special libraries, commercial help desks, commercial industries) • What services? – – – Help desk Training Research & Development Technology Transfer Business practices Documentation 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

Broker Model 14 July 2000 TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net

George H. Brett II NCSA NLANR / DAST ghb@dast. nlanr. net http: //www. ncsa. edu/~ghb v. 703 -248 -0120 f. 703 -248 -0100 14 July 2000 http: //www. nlanr. net/ http: //dast. nlanr. net/ http: //ncne. nlanr. net/ http: //moat. nlanr. net/ TWIST 2000 -- ghb@dast. nlanr. net