National Computational Science Alliance Boston University Introduction to the Access Grid and its Use at Boston University Jennifer Teig von Hoffman Boston University

National Computational Science Alliance Boston University What is the Access Grid? A tool for groups of people to collaborate in “real time” over high-speed networks such as Internet2’s Abilene network and vBNS A project led by the Futures Group at Argonne National Laboratory, funded in part by the National Computational Science Alliance BU just one of many active participants in this project

National Computational Science Alliance Boston University What is Special about the Access Grid? Group-to-group, not desktop-to-desktop “Room-based Computing” Open Source project Most of the AG software is Open Source – allows flexibility for custom application development Any non-Open Source software is easily available and relatively inexpensive or free (ie, Windows 2000, PowerPoint, some freeware) Multicast networking An effective way to send large amounts of data over networks

National Computational Science Alliance Boston University More Than Video Conferencing Group-to-Group Collaboration Tools Distributed PowerPoint Shared Windows or unix desktop Bridge to Virtual Reality environments

National Computational Science Alliance Boston University Current Installation at Boston University Four desktop computers Two running Windows Two running Red Hat linux Three projectors, one rear-projection screen Audio mixers and echo-cancellation devices Speakers, cameras, microphones Connection to Abilene network (Internet2) Cost: About $60,000 (hardware/software/equipment only) Many have built AG nodes for less

National Computational Science Alliance Boston University Boston University’s Use of the Access Grid Meetings Large/small, formal/informal, planned/spontaneous Workshops/Tutorials NSF-sponsored Computational Physics seminar MPI PETSc Globus Toolkit Access Grid Conferences Alliance Chautauqua 1999 and 2000 (5 multi-day events) High Performance Distributed Computing keynote talk Paradyn/Condor Days First Virtual Conference on Genomics and Bioinformatics

National Computational Science Alliance Boston University Boston University’s Use of the AG (cont.) Art exhibits HiPArt projects Lecture series ACCESS-DC University of Kentucky Job interviews Distributed Rap Sessions Total of 500+ local participants; 1,000+ remote (since September 1999)

National Computational Science Alliance Boston University Some Other Uses of the Access Grid Joint courses University of Alaska at Fairbanks, University of New Mexico, and University of Montana University of Utah, Brigham Young University TOUCH project Telemedicine project to make use of AG technologies, led by University of New Mexico

National Computational Science Alliance Boston University Developing International Community SC Global An Access Grid-based component of the Supercomputing conference, the premiere technical and industrial meeting for high-end networking and computing and computational science Developing global infrastructure perhaps the biggest challenge Language, time zones often complicate matters

National Computational Science Alliance Boston University SC Global Constellation Sites 23 Sites in 9 countries Australia Canada China Germany Great Britain Italy Japan Korea United States

National Computational Science Alliance Boston University For More Information... Access Grid Conference Facility at Boston University Access Grid Home Page Access Grid Documentation Project Jennifer Teig von Hoffman