APPLICATION DELIVERY IN UNIVERSITIES Glen D. Hauser, Joel Ahmed Engineering Computer Center (ECC) College of Engineering University of Saskatchewan

History Expensive mainframe computers in institutions were used as a shared resource Users waited their turn to use the mainframe, the primary computational resource Data stored in punch cards paper tapes, magnetic tapes Bulk data processing

History (contd.) By the 1970’s, mainframe computers acquired user interfaces Multiple terminals were allowed to have time slices for information processing Many dumb terminals used for user batch information processing requirements Network connected mainframes started inter communication Gradually applications were being executed by distributed mainframes in different institutions.

History (contd.) Mainframes gradually gained wide popularity Multiple mainframes per institution were procured for all data processing requirements.

PC Revolutions The PC revolution brought computing right to the user desk with applications installed locally – freedom ! created unavoidable chaos PCs’ connected to the University networks, multiple users with requested variable requirements University IT setting: A system admin’s nightmare source:

PC Revolutions (contd.) Numerous applications over the network created difficulty in managing computer hardware software license issues user access protocol helpdesk support resource availability etc. Applications spread difficult to manage Desktop imaging aided in deployment. Although issues arose with trying to image among differing hardware platforms

Terminal Services Applications deployed on dedicated remote server Reincarnation of Mainframe & Terminal architecture! Easier deployment of application to users

Virtual Computing Virtual Computing, to split large servers into smaller virtual servers The software running inside the VM is limited to the resources and abstractions provided by the VM.

Virtual Computing (contd.) Replicate resources for students on a need basis Provide students with their own personal remote server environment, creating dedicated resource (time slicing again?)

Virtual Computing (contd.) Easier deployment, management and maintenance Provides dedicated specialized resources for users. Case by case solutions for software and hardware for researchers, lab demonstration etc. can be deployed and managed

Virtual Computing (contd.) Remote access allows terminal service technologies to control vacant physical seats & remote physical and virtual server seats Servers purchased and maintained using University IT resources and student’s personal computing cycles unused.

Virtual Computing (contd.) Currently using remote access Not interested in full installs as it will create large over head Would like to try virtual application management similar to Microsoft’s SoftGrid

Virtual Computing (contd.) Using smart application deployment could shift processing on their own computers. Potential to convert physical labs to a full virtual environment Student laptop proliferation

website:UofS Engineering Computer LabsUofS Engineering Computer Labs Virtual Computing (contd.)

The Future Cloud Computing Software vendors can deploy online resource applications directly to the customer/student/faculty terminal.

The Future Grid Computing Using spare computing cycles on the network to perform important calculations and processing of information User Interaction Interface Systems Management Provisioning Tool Servers Monitoring & Metering Services Catalog

The Future (contd.) Grid and Cloud Computing Institutions can invest in a new research project, novel IT initiatives with a limited IT outlay. Finally it allows from pilot project to full scale deployment based on new research fund availability and institutional focus

The Future The creation of a "virtual supercomputer" composed of a network of loosely-coupled computers. Applied to computationally-intensive scientific, mathematical, and academic problems through volunteer computing, and Commercial enterprises for diverse applications as drug discovery, economic forecasting, seismic analysis, and back-office data processing in support of e-commerce and web services.

Questions ?