Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project The EPIKH Project Roberto Barbera University of Catania, INFN, and Consorzio COMETA Italy

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Outline Background and concepts The EPIKH project The GILDA t-Infrastructure –formats and services EPIKH training activities with GILDA Conclusion and outlook

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Motivation, problem area Computationally intensive research

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Motivation, problem area Computationally intensive research

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Motivation, problem area e-Science Virtual Organisations Applications Data Instruments e-Infrastructure

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Motivation, problem area The Global Network

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Motivation, problem area The Global Grid EELA OSG TeraGrid NAREGI EUMedGrid BalticGrid SEE-Grid EUIndiaGrid EUAsiaGrid EUChinaGrid DEISA EGEE

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Motivation, problem area World digital inclusion (

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Research Objectives The EPIKH Project ( “Exchange Programme to advance e-Infrastructure Know- How” (EPIKH) –EU FP7- Marie Curie Actions – People - International Research Staff Exchange Scheme (IRSES) Consortium “numbers”: –23 partners; –18 countries; –4 continents (Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe); –115 persons involved; –>650 researcher-months; –>500 secondments; Duration: March, 1, 2009 – February, 28, 2013 (48 months) EC contribution: 1,188,000 €

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Research Objectives The EPIKH goals Strategic aims: –Reinforce the impact of e-Infrastructures in scientific research defining and delivering stimulating programme of educational events, including Grid Schools and High Performance Computing courses; –Broaden the engagement in e-Science activities and collaborations both geographically and across disciplines. Specific actions: –Spreading the knowledge about the “Grid Paradigm” to all potential users: both system administrators and application developers through an extensive training programme; –Easing the access of the trained people to the e-Infrastructures existing in the areas of action of the project; –Fostering the establishment of scientific collaborations among the countries/continents involved in the project.

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Research approach, Methodology The Triangle of Knowledge Research & Development Innovation Education & Training Building e-Infrastructures is a waste if we don’t “build”, at the same time, their users. Along with e-Infrastructures, t-Infrastructures are also needed. e-Infrastructure t-Infrastructure

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Research approach, Methodology GILDA: the “de facto” standard t-Infrastructure of EPIKH GILDA: Grid INFN Laboratory for Dissemination Activities GILDA is a complete Grid test-bed fully devoted to demonstrate/disseminate Grid computing GILDA is an international effort funded by multiple sources GILDA is adopted by several Grid projects worldwide It runs the latest version of the gLite middleware and support other middleware such as Condor, Globus, UNICORE, etc. Using GILDA is free of charge

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Research approach, Methodology The GILDA formats and services ( Training on Grid –Tutorial for Users –Tutorial for Site Admin –Grid Schools –Tutorial for Trainers/Customized events –University courses (Degree, Ms.C, Ph.D, etc.) –Training materials: Wiki pages, Printable Documentation, Demos, Videos, etc. Grid Application development –Support to Grid application development –Deployment of the applications into the GENIUS and P-GRADE grid portals –GILDA Ticketing support system Infrastructure –GILDA CA –GILDA VOMS –Creation of pilot test-beds: EELA, EUMED, EUCHINA, EUINDIA, SAGRID, etc. –Testing and development on new available gLite services –Dedicated Software repository/Virtual services (INFN Grid) –Monitoring (GridICE, GStat, SAM, etc. ) (New) Remote site installation Successfully tested in Mexico (New) Remote site installation Successfully tested in Mexico

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Research approach, Methodology Users’ assistance Training material –Wiki page –Video tutorials –Step by step instructions Support system GILDA Forge

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Research approach, Methodology GILDA in numbers >1000 users registered in the GILDA VO >14,000 certificates issued since More than 30% renewed at least once. >350 tutorials in 54 countries since Up to 6 at the same time!

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Grid Training already done in Africa with GILDA EELA-2 Grid tutorial Lilongwe (Malawi) – nd SAGrid Workshop & Tutorial Durban – HP/UNESCO/EGEE Grid tutorial Johannesburg – st SAGrid Workshop & Tutorial Cape Town – Almost 100 people trained on e-Infrastructure from Algeria, Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, and Zimbabwe

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Research approach, Methodology EPIKH training activities with GILDA (1/2) 1-week tutorials for site administrators (with remote installations)

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Research approach, Methodology EPIKH training activities with GILDA (2/2) Grid Schools 2 entire weeks devoted to applications’ “gridification” call for applications widely open Eight 1-month Grid & HPC schools and related thematic workshops foreseen in Africa in the period !

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Major outcomes/results Applications’ “virtuous cycle” DisseminationTraining events “Gridification” Deployment on large Infrastructures and inclusion in the portfolio of demonstrative applications

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Major outcomes/results Examples of GILDA “demonstrative” applications RASTER-3D DEM-2-VRML GATE

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Conclusion and outlook African scientific communities can benefit from EPIKH and use GILDA to “gridify” and run applications of local interest; Thanks to EPIKH activities, African Organisations can setup “clones” of GILDA locally to implement campus grids or even nation-wide e-infrastructures (good examples are already existing both in South Africa and Cuba); EPIKH/GILDA can offer free technical support for anyone willing to organize local training events on Grid computing –It can be undergraduate courses, M.Sc. courses, Ph.D. curricula, tutorials, Grid Schools, etc.

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Thank you very much ! Any questions ?

Session 3d, 6 May 2009 IST-Africa 2009 Copyright 2009 EPIKH Project Useful bookmarks EPIKH home page – GILDA home page – GILDA Support System – GILDA Form for tutorial bookings – GILDA Repository of Training Material – ICEAGE Library – GILDA Virtual Services –