e-Science Update Steve Gough, ITS 19 Feb 2007

e-Science large scale science increasingly carried out through distributed global collaborations enabled by the Internet access to very large data collections very large scale computing resources high performance visualisation NeSC web site, in turn taken from the Research Council e-Science Core Programme 220 Feb 2007e-Science Update

e-Science easy access to expensive remote facilities –computing resources dedicated Teraflop computers or cheap collections of PCs –information stored in dedicated databases NeSC web site, in turn taken from the Research Council e-Science Core Programme 320 Feb 2007e-Science Update

The Grid an architecture proposed to bring all these issues together the Grid as an enabler for Virtual Organisations –"An infrastructure that enables flexible, secure, coordinated resource sharing among dynamic collections of individuals, institutions and resources." Ian Foster and Carl Kesselman –inventors of the Globus approach to the Grid NeSC web site, in turn taken from the Research Council e-Science Core Programme 420 Feb 2007e-Science Update

Study of Users' Priorities for E- Infrastructure for Research SUPER continuing study by staff from: –National e-Science Centre (NeSC) –Open Middleware Infrastructure Institute UK (OMII-UK) –Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC) 20 Feb 2007e-Science Update5

SUPER found 5 main issues with existing users: –distributed file management and policy –tools to support the creation and use of dynamic virtual organisations –need to support projects through tools and training –authentication, software licensing, and reliable and consistent environments –user interaction with e-infrastructure services through defined APIs, scripting environments, and graphical workflow environments 20 Feb 2007e-Science Update6

e-Science Development Officer stimulate research collaboration –within Reading and between Reading & other institutions maximise use of developing resources work with academics based in ITS, but work with existing experts SSE, ESSC, ACET, Meteorology etc closing date 2/3/07 20 Feb 2007e-Science Update7

National Grid Service (NGS) mission: –to provide coherent electronic access for UK researchers to all computational and data based resources and facilities required to carry out their research, independent of resource or researcher location – 20 Feb 2007e-Science Update8

National Grid Service (NGS) –2 compute nodes Oxford & White Rose Grid –2 data nodes Manchester & RAL 20 Feb 2007e-Science Update9

Reading Grid 200+ classroom PCs running CoLinux image using spare CPU power PCs join a condor pool of local computers joining Reading & Oxford Grids? can we add PCs in schools? more from Ian Bland later 20 Feb 2007e-Science Update10

Reading e-Science Centre (ReSC) promote e-Science methods in the environmental science community more from Jon Blower Feb 2007e-Science Update11