The future of scientific computing will be developed with the leadership of Indiana University Pervasive Technology Institute (PTI)and nine national and international partners as part of a $15 million project largely supported by a $10.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The award will be used to establish FutureGrid, a significant new experimental computing grid and cloud test-bed.
FutureGrid provides a capability that makes it possible for researchers to tackle complex research challenges in computer science related to the use and security of grids and clouds. These include topics ranging from authentication, authorization, scheduling, virtualization, middleware design, interface design and cybersecurity, to the optimization of grid-enabled and cloud-enabled computational schemes for researchers in astronomy, chemistry, biology, engineering, atmospheric science and epidemiology.
The test-bed includes a geographically distributed set of heterogeneous computing systems, a data management system that will hold both metadata and a growing library of software images, and a dedicated network allowing isolatable, secure experiments. The test-bed will support virtual machine-based environments, as well as native operating systems for experiments aimed at minimizing overhead and maximizing performance. The project partners will integrate existing open-source software packages to create an easy-to-use software environment that supports the instantiation, execution and recording of grid and cloud computing experiments.
Professor of Informatics, Geoffrey Fox, director of the PTI Digital Science Center will serve as principal investigator on the project.
FutureGrid gets underway with an All Hands Meeting October 2 - 3, 2009.
For more information, please visit the FutureGrid site:
http://futuregrid.org/
Read news about FutureGrid:
IU to establish FutureGrid collaborative test bed for next-generation scientific supercomputing: http://uitspress.iu.edu/news/page/normal/11841.html
IU to lead nationwide research network to expand supercomputer capabilities: http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/11837.html
“The strategy is working” - impact of FutureGrid on Indiana: http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/11839.html
View video and photos:
FutureGrid press conference: http://ovpit.iu.edu/media/futuregrid.html
FutureGrid: Cloud and Grid Research Testbed to Define the Future of Scientific Computing: http://pti.iu.edu/news/video-feature-futuregrid-project-kickoff
Indiana University Cyberinfrastructure News
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Statewide IT Conference 2009 takes place at University Place Conference Center on the IUPUI campus in Indianapolis, IN September 30 - October 1, 2009. The annual conference provides a primary means of professional development for IU’s Extended IT Team. This year’s conference reaches beyond the IT community to encourage broad participation.
For program schedule and other information, see
http://www.statewideit.iu.edu/
Select conference presentations will be live streamed online, utilizing AVATS collaborative technology developed by Pervasive Technology Institute's Community Grids Lab:
http://avats.indiana.edu/swit/SWITCalendar.html -
The first job run on BigRed started 2006-10-05 17:00:00, since then BigRed and Quarry have run 3411680 jobs on behalf of 700 researchers, students, and scientists. Assuming a modern mid range desktop with dualcores and that the processor cores are equal in speed to the processor cores in BigRed and Quarry that desktop would have taken 4132 years to complete the same amount of work. Three years and one week after the first job was run all of this equipment will move to the new data center.
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Several high-performance computational and storage resources will be unavailable between Monday, October 12, and Monday, October 19, as they are relocated from Wrubel Computing Center to the new IU Data Center.
Systems affected by the move include:
* Big Red cluster
* Quarry cluster
* Data Capacitor and DC-WAN storage systems
* GPFS storage system
* Mason Cell cluster
Due to the number of ongoing enhancements and additions to Data Center infrastructure, this timeline may require adjustment. Timeline adjustments and milestones during the move will be posted as they are available at:
http://itnotices.iu.edu.
If you need special accommodations before, during, or after the relocation process, please contact the UITS High-Performance Systems group at: hps-admin@iu.edu -
TeraGrid resources are available, but you must submit a request for
computing time or data storage space. The allocations process has
been slightly revised -- the Development allocations have been
replaced by Startup and Education allocations, which are larger
than in the past, and explicitly support instruction.
Researchers may request Startup or Education allocations at any
time. These are treated as routine and processed immediately.
These allocations give you access to some of the most advanced
hardware in the world.
Large allocations require a proposal, and are handled by the
TeraGrid Resource Allocations Committee, which meets quarterly.
The next submission window is September 15 - October 15, for
allocations commencing January 1.
Information on getting started with the Teragrid is available at:
http://pti.iu.edu/hpa/teragrid-support -
MDSS and RFS changed to authenticate with the ADS.IU.EDU Kerberos realm September 14th, 2009, due to changes to the IU authentication infrastructure. This change is described at:
http://uits.iu.edu/page/ayjn
The following methods of access to these systems are *NOT* affected by this change:
- Using cifs, such as with a Windows drive mapped to
\\rfs.iu.edu or \\smb.mdss.iu.edu
- Via the web interface at https://rfs.iu.edu or
https://www.mdss.iu.edu
- With ssh file transfer clients such as sftp to rfs.iu.edu or
to sftp.mdss.iu.edu.
- TeraGrid GridFTP transfers.
However, users of other access methods MUST have made configuration changes in order to continue connecting after the switchover. These other methods include the native AFS client, FTP, and hsi.
The changes needed to have been made before September 14th, 2009. The required changes included updating keytabs, kerberos configuration and hsi clients. More information about these changes is available at:
http://storage.iu.edu/adsmigrate.shtml -
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is looking to fill a permanent position of Program Director in the Advances in Biological Informatics (ABI) program, Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI). ABI seeks to encourage new approaches to the analysis and dissemination of biological knowledge for the benefit of both the scientific community and the broader public. The ABI program is especially interested in the development of informatics tools and resources that have the potential to advance, or transform, research in biology supported by the Directorate for Biological Sciences at the National Science Foundation. The Program Director for the ABI Program is responsible for the planning and administration of the program within the framework of legislation, agency policies, missions, objectives, and resources. This is an exciting opportunity for experienced individuals to have a profound impact on furthering the biological sciences in the U.S.
Details of the position and its responsibilities can be found at http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?OPMControl=1663370.
Details about the ABI program can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5444&org=DBI&from=home.
Deadline for applications is 15 October 2009.
Please direct questions about the position to
Peter Arzberger, Division Director, DBI, parzberg@nsf.gov
Peter McCartney, Program Director, ABI, pmccartn@nsf.gov
703.292.8470 -
Indiana University's Pervasive Technology Institute scientists and researchers will facilitate the following Mini-Workshops this fall at SC09, the International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage and Analysis, which takes place November 14 -20, 2009 at the Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
10am-12pm “Building Science Gateways and Managing Workflows with the Open Grid Computing Environment Toolkit” Marlon Pierce
2pm-4pm “Scientific Workflow with Immersive Interfaces for Visualization” Bill Sherman
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
10am-12pm “Sustainability, Climate, and Environment: The Data Tsunami”Chaired by Beth Plale. Other workshop participants: Sara Pryor, Elinor Ostrom, Scott Jensen, Eran Chinthaka, Eric Wernert
2pm-4pm “New Approaches to Scientific Computing: FutureGrid and Cloud Technologies” Geoffrey Fox
Thursday, November 19, 2009
10am-12pm “Cyberinfrastructure Software Sustainability and Reusability” Craig Stewart
For more information about Supercomputing09, see
http://sc09.supercomputing.org/ -
School of Informatics and Computing Colloquium
Smart phones and Cloud Computing: A New Service Paradigm
by Cheng Wu, Co-founder and Chairman at Azuki Systems (Acton, Massachusetts)
Intelligent end points such as the iPhone differ from other information technologies in one key aspect. For the first time, a sophisticated device is miniaturized and designed for and widely accepted by consumers, by masking all the underlying complexity. 42% of iPhone users access the Internet via its WiFi port. In other words, a smart phone is no longer used as a phone, but as a nomadic information access point. Information is no longer accessed from one (wired) device; instead, the notion of user state virtualization is emerging where the personalities of a user travels with him from device to device, network to network, and place to place. With that new service paradigm, the use of cloud computing is personalized, personal resources become cloud-based, accessed by any device carrying one’s personality at that moment in time. Many challenges remain. Many new services are emerging. What can we expect? How will future consumer-facing services be created? (After a short presentation on this topic, Mr. Wu will engage in discussion with the audience.)
When: Friday, October 9, 2009 3:00 - 4:00pm
Where: Innovation Center, Rm. 105
For a list of additional School of Informatics and Computing upcoming events, see
http://www.informatics.indiana.edu/events/ -
Reagan Moore's presentation at Indiana University Innovation Center launches the new PTI Distinguished Speaker Series.
Policy-based Data Management
by Reagan Moore
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Scientific data proceed through a data life-cycle. Science researchers typically generate data that are managed within a local project (collection). They may then share data with other researchers (data grid), publish their data for use by the discipline (digital library), and create reference collections against which future research is compared (persistent archive). Each stage of the data life cycle is governed by a social consensus that determines the arrangement, retention, access, description, and manipulation mechanisms that are applied to the collection. The social consensus can be characterized as the management policies and procedures that enforce the desired collection properties. The iRODS (integrated Rule Oriented Data System) supports all stages of the data life cycle by mapping management policies to computer actionable rules, by mapping management procedures to computer executable workflows assembled from well-defined micro-services, and by verifying assessment criteria through queries on persistent state information. The iRODS data grid will be presented, along with current use of the iRODS technology in multiple data management applications.
When: Friday, Oct 30, 2009 3:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m.
Where: Innovation Center (IUB)
A reception will be held at 2pm at the Innovation Center prior to the talk.
Moore's presentation, hosted by Center for Data and Search Informatics and School of Informatics and Computing, is the first event in the new PTI Distinguished Speaker Series.
For more information, see
http://www.informatics.indiana.edu/colloquia/default.asp?id=959 -
Center for Data and Search Informatics, a partner of Pervasive Technology Institute's Data to Insight Center, offers a cross-disciplinary Seminar Series. Topics include but are not limited to search, mining, modeling, architecture, metadata, social implications, interfaces, visualization of data, policies, and databases.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 4:00 - 5:00pm
Statistical Considerations in Analyzing Massive Data Sets
by Karen Kafadar
Department of Statistics, Indiana University
Where: LH 101 (IUB)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 4:00 - 5:00pm
Using Dataflow Models to Validate Enterprise Distributed Real-time and Embedded System Quality-of-Service Properties
James Hill
Department of Computer and Information, IUPUI
Where: Info. East 122 (IUB)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 4:00 - 5:00pm
Margaret Hedstrom
School of Information, University of Michigan
Where: Innovation Center (IUB) -
Indiana University Digital Library Program, in conjunction with the School of Library and Information Science, offers a weekly brown bag series. Topics range from project planning to project overviews, including specific talks on digitization, metadata and technology. Brown bag sessions are open to anyone interested in issues concerning digital libraries.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Victorian Women Writers Project Resurrected
Angela Courtney and Michelle Dalmau
Libraries / Digital Library Program
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Implementing the FRBR Conceptual Model in the Variations Music Discovery System
Jenn Riley, Paul McElwain and Alex Berry
Digital Library Program
All programs will be held in the Herman B Wells Library in Room E174, the Media Showing Room, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm unless otherwise noted.
This semester's Digital Library Brown Bag series will be available for remote access via the Web, unless otherwise specified. Presentation slides and audio will be available at: http://breeze.iu.edu/diglib. If you are not a registered user for Connect Meeting/Breeze, select the "Enter as a Guest" option. -
The maintenance window for Big Red and Quarry is the first Tuesday of each month, 7am - 7pm EDT; however, with the impending Data Center move, October's maintenance day activities have been canceled.
The maintenance window for the Mass Store and Research File System is every Sunday 7-10AM.
Outage reports are available online at:
* http://racinfo.indiana.edu/hps/research/bigred/outages.shtml
* http://racinfo.indiana.edu/hps/research/quarry/outages.shtml -
If you have questions pertaining to IU's cyberinfrastructure, or
you are encountering some difficulty, there are several ways to
obtain help.
The IU Knowledge Base (http://kb.iu.edu) is an excellent source of
help on how to do things.
An introduction and overview titled "Indiana University's
CyberInfrastructure: The least you need to know" is available at
http://pti.iu.edu/cyberinfrastructure.pdf
If you have problems which the KB does not enable you to solve,
questions about system outages, or if you just have a problem and
you don't know who to contact, send email to
researchtechnologies@iu.edu.
