NLANR/DAST Monthly Update, August 2002

a. Activities related to network tool development for end users

• Steve Engelhardt, Tanya Brethour and Feng Qin (all NLANR/DAST) continue to develop various aspects of the Framework for end-user network testing. Engelhardt and Qin have been focusing on data collection, authorization and security, while Brethour is focused on the user interface and analysis engine. Jim Ferguson (NLANR/DAST) is providing overall coordination of the Framework effort, as well as being chief liaison with Internet2's testing project. The two projects are attempting to mesh, rather than compete.
• Ajay Tirumala (NLANR/DAST) returned from an internship at SLAC over the summer where he worked on enhancements to the Iperf tool which he develops for NLANR/DAST. He delivered a report for the group on his summer work, and will integrate the most useful enhancements to Iperf into the next base release of the tool.
• Yanli Tong (NLANR/DAST) has developed a "plug-in" module for the community GridFTP project that incorporates the technologies developed by the NLANR/DAST Autobuf FTP client and server. Tong is working out issues dealing with data transfer between two remote hosts (which GridFTP supports) before sending the plug-in to the project lead for evaluation.
• John Towns (NLANR/DAST) in discussion with Miron Livny (U Wisc-Madison, Condor) to determine how NLANR/DAST can leverage Condor capabilities and development for End-to-End Framework development; visit planned for September 2002.

• Mitch Kutzko and Tony Rimovsky (both NLANR/DAST) are collecting comments and suggestions from users of the newly deployed version of the Multicast Beacon servers, and are working on the design of the upcoming new version of the client, which Kutzko will be working on in the near future.
• See GridFTP work above also
• John Towns (NLANR/DAST) in discussion with Miron Livny (U Wisc-Madison, Condor, GRIDS Center) to determine how NLANR/DAST development activities can be leveraged for both Condor and GRIDS Center software components; visit planned for September 2002.

• Steve Engelhardt is nearing the end of direct involvement in an extended project with the astronomers and researchers of the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Array (BIMA) project. He has successfully implemented a scheduler for the project's multi-layered handling of data that arrives via the radio telescopes it employs. Steve has passed along his knowledge of utilizing the existing middleware infrastructure to this group, who will advance this total project on their own. Handoff of the project will occur in mid-September 02.

• The BIMA suite of codes (see above) astronomy community applications.
• John Towns (NLANR/DAST) in discussions with MEAD (Modeling Environment for Atmospheric Discovery) project spanning multiple institutions to determine how NLANR/DAST can assist in project; project meeting scheduled for mid September

• For much of August 02, members of the NLANR/DAST have been engaged in contacting application teams who are involved in demos at the upcoming iGrid2002 event in Amsterdam. Each demo team was assigned to an NLANR/DAST staff member, and each was contacted a minimum of twice by email and twice by direct phone to offer assistance. Steve Engelhardt has lead the effort to inform sites on the required NMIr1 software if they wish to use SARA resources in their demo. Active involvement in three demos has been identified thus far--two immersive applications, and one high-speed data transfer. New hardware (courtesy of the Web100 project) and GigE connectivity will be a feature of the latter application, headed by Les Cottrell at SLAC.
• The NLANR/DAST web site is going through an overhaul which has yet to be implemented in public. Mitch Kutzko is leading the effort to provide a clearer message and easier to access information for users who visit the site. A new feature on the top page will be a directly searchable Advanced Application Database area. Expected rollout in mid-September.
• The Advanced Application Database got a boost in hits in August when Internet2 featured the AAD in an article, and has permanently incorporated a search box for the AAD on its top Applications page. See http://apps.internet2.edu/
• NLANR Community Development coordinated by Greg Cole (NLANR?DAST): initial population of database on general information for networked applications community under way by Anita Colliate-Howard (NLANR/DAST) -- will be used to enhance AAD; current awareness service development in progress; initial design for web site vehicle for this activity completed

• No further update from the Gemini project, we will attempt to engage them in September.