Manchester Computing Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science Michael Daw 18 May 2004 Cross Research Council ICT Conference Access Grid The Future of Advanced Collaboration?

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science2 Content Summary  What is Access Grid?  Extent of Access Grid  History of Access Grid  SC Global  “Access Grid 2”  Future developments  Current UK situation

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science3 Typical Views of Access Grid ETF Management MeetingSeminar SC Global WorkshopPerformance Arte-Social Science

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science4 What is Access Grid? (1)  Large-scale display – typically a whole wall  Multiple video streams from each site  Natural, full-duplex audio with echo cancellation  An “Advanced Collaboration Environment”  Uses IP multicast for video/audio  Open Source software; commodity equipment Usually!

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science5 What is Access Grid? (2)  Virtual collaborative spaces – Virtual Venues  Places to share: –Video –Audio –Data –Applications  Virtual Organisations have their own Virtual Venues

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science6 Number of Access Grid Nodes  2003 – 5 out of 7 continents; 17 countries; 39 US states

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science7 Access Grid History  November 1998 – Access Grid born at Argonne National Lab  First event – Chautauqua ‘99  August 2001 – UK gets first AG Manchester  November 2001 – SC Global 2001 (Denver)  May 2003 – AG2  November 2003 – SC Global 2003 (Phoenix)  November 2004 – SC Global 2004 (Pittsburgh)

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science8 SC Global  SC Global 2001 (Denver) – “World’s First Truly Distributed Conference”  6 out of 7 continents  Up to around 50 sites simultaneously  SC Global 2003 – Phoenix  2004 – Pittsburgh; Seattle

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science9 AG2 Client

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science10 Nice Ideas for Future Developments  Improved video  Improved audio  Easier operation  Easier sharing of data  Automated failover for multicast  Support of different bandwidth capabilities  Better interoperation with H.323/H.320, VRVS

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science11 Current UK Situation  Oct 2002 – publication of “Multi-Site Videoconferencing for the UK e-Science Programme” 04.html 04.html  Comparison between Access Grid, H.323/H.320, VRVS, Non-Studio Based Videoconferencing

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science12 Access Grid Support Centre  Based at Manchester  Support for users, operators, procurement advice  Quality Assurance tests  Multicast-unicast bridge  Virtual Venue Server  IG Pix  IG Recorder

Supercomputing, Visualization & e-Science13 Reports for Specific Funding Recommendations  Subjects: –Collaborative technologies R&D effort –Mbone tools –Booking system for Access Grid and related research –VRVS – Access Grid interoperability –H.323 – Access Grid interoperability –Improvements to local networking for videoconferencing  To be submitted to JCSR for funding

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