Training and the NGS
Mike Mineter
mjm@nesc.ac.uk
Overview
What is the motivation for new
users??
What are trainers for?
What is induction for?
E-Infrastructure vision
Grid infrastructure
Operations, Support and
training
Collaboration
Network infrastructure
linking resource centres
What are trainers for?
NGS Goal: many effective and active users in many
locations
Technology is supported by a small number of people
Training helps to make this feasible and scalable
(EDG proved that!)
“Routine” training
Early trainers
Operations
Web
Helpdesk
User doc.
VO
Consultancy
users
What is induction for??
ALL Training courses need specific
goals
Leave participants on a clear path
Induction is to orient potential new..
Users so they can understand the NGS,
and make preliminary plans for


Grid-enabling their VO (data, code,…)
Further training needs (APIs, job/data services, portal
development)
Site managers/ sysadmin who might run
resource centres

installation, admin courses also needed
What is in an induction course?
Presentations
Demo’s, case studies, walk-thru
examples
Do current users give GOSC demo’s and
case studies? Why do they use NGS?!
Practical
Major topic for later!
Built on EGEE course
BUT EGEE convergence is some months
hence
Proposed NGS Induction
(plan A - October)
What is grid computing
Concepts, world-wide, EU and UK
EGEE induction
Security, AAA
LCG-2 /EGEE-0 middleware
Practical with GENIUS / GILDA
Operations, (human) networking, middleware
activities (WS and gLite)
Overview of:
NGS
OGSA-DAI
Oracle service
SRB
NGS Portal
BUT convergence of NGS with
EGEE is delayed pending gLite
release & testing
Major components
“User
interface”
Input “sandbox”
Output “sandbox”
DataSets info
Replica
Catalogue
Information
Service
Resource
Broker
Publish
Logging &
Book-keeping
Job Query
Job Submit Event
Author.
&Authen.
Storage
Element
Job Status
Computing
Element
Middleware components in EGEE - 10
Current production mware: LCG-2
Application level services
User interfaces
Applications
EU DataGrid
“Collective” services
App monitoring system
VDT (Condor, Globus, GLUE)
User access
Data management
“Basic” services
Information system
NFS, …
RedHat Linux
Workload management
Operating system
Information schema
System software
File system
Data transfer
Security
PBS, Condor, LSF,…
Local scheduler
Hardware
Computing cluster
Network resources
HPSS, CASTOR…
Data storage
Middleware components in EGEE - 11
Observations
Event goals must match reality so an
event is a point of departure for
participants
Useability, reliability, sustainability…
are key goals of NGS and EGEE – but
trainers need to set expectations
accurately whilst the infrastructure is
established.
Need for a training Grid
For EGEE, GILDA testbed is hosted by Univ.
of Catania (led by Roberto Barbera)
Runs current production middleware
Testbed for new applications (with support)
Is a best-efforts service
Lot of effort to ensure courses have response, precertified accounts
Installation course needs are different
Massive requirements for hardware
20 people, LCG installation course = ideally 100
PCs !
T-Infrastructure
Training may require special eInfrastructure
T-Infrastructure emulates e-Infrastructure
technical, operational and management aspects
covered by courses
T-Infrastructure may anticipate a future
platform
Authentication at (or just before) a course
Authorisation may restrict imposed loads
T-Infrastructure may be operated in
isolation
Guarantees of availability and response