PCAP Close Out Feb 2, 2004 BNL

Overall  Good progress in all areas  Good accomplishments in DC-2 (and CTB) –Late, but good

DC-2 & 12 Months Progress –Wonderful progress compared to a year ago (DG, Windmill, Capone), kudos for high utilization compared to others’ experiences –Missed calibration & alignment –Missed physics analysis – should be addressed by Rome run up –Everything else (looking at DC-2 + CTB) was done –Root cause: many software components late, not adequate component level testing, so debugging was sequential; everyone delivered just ahead of DC-2 start (big bang integration) –Some scaling problems

Atlas core software  Good stable team  Leadership within International Atlas is excellent  Good progress towards maturity & readiness for turn on  Manpower is stretched

Data management –Status & progress good, now that additional manpower finally secured –System & scalability testing needed for tag & event collection components –Kudos on 2 pairs of eyes, doc & coding standards (others should follow suit)

Grid software –Making progress, much left to be done –Multi-grid strategy & implementation looks good; coordination task force working –Currently not enough diagnostics on what fails  Improvements in reliability must be a priority –Grid risk management:  make sure you have a strategy that does not depend upon the least mature components;  have a clear fallback position (time for these to mature is getting short) –Priority on deploying user analysis prototypes & training user community

Software in general –Analysis software and related items still untested (no large user base) –Success of the Rome workshop & development of realistic AOD should be high priorities –Identify where you feel the remaining software work is, listing any remaining unspecified or under-specified components

Facilities –BNL & US Atlas Tier 2’s are making significant contributions to data challenges  well operated, managed; efficient –Ramp of Tier 1 to 2008 looks steep –Turning on 2 new tier 2’s in FY06 for start of operations will be tight –High reliance on components for which they have limited experience –High cost of tape bandwidth not well justified –High cost of auxiliary computing for U.S. physicists not well justified in comparison w/ International Atlas

DC-3 preparation –Task forces to evaluate various areas are a good idea –Tier 1 & 2 provisioning for DC-3  Hardware: Tier 1 CPUs enough? (not clear from info)  Manpower plans look adequate (increase at Tier 1 is appropriate & necessary) –Develop deliverables plan to allow good component & integration & testing, intermediate integration tests

Other Management Items –Management looks healthy, responsive –Project tracking is in excellent shape (WBS needs update)

Mgmt (2): Virtual Corridor  Need to explain more implementation thoughts, how a user is going to find someone “on the corridor”  Metrics for success

Mgmt (3): Software –Software scope change process (need to be visible, not meant to be impediment to change); possible examples:  Grid software / interfaces (now to be done in U.S. Atlas, vs originally expected from external projects)  Athena in online –not everything is in CVS, need to put more effort into software testing (as an assigned task, with start date): industry usually has formally assigned testers who are not developers (alpha/beta testers); all reveals some loose management style on software deliverables;

Mgmt (4): Grid  OSG should be pursued, it is good that Atlas is highly engaged; potential to increase resources for simulation (opportunistic use); potential to more rapidly mature grid software