David Groep / 2001.05.08Virtual Lab overview1 Virtual Laboratory Overview A collaborative analysis environment for applied experimental science Distributed

David Groep / 2001.05.08 Virtual Lab overview 1

Virtual Laboratory Overview

A collaborative analysis environment

for applied experimental science

• Distributed instrumentation & resource access• Remote resources transparently available• Focus on content and information• Guide the user through the experiment


Distributed Metacomputing: the Grid

• Dependable, consistent and pervasive access to (high-end) resources

• Guaranteed end-to-end performance• Varying resource availability• Various administrative domains• Security, policy and payment


The Grid, a layman’s view

• In ye olde days (till approx 1992):– Hardly any network security– All machines in a LAN are created equal– All local users happy with remote shell, rlogin, rcp

• Now:– Want to communicate globally over Gigabit WAN, but– Internet is a dangerous place full of crackers and

government agencies, firewalls and barriers

• The Grid:– Bring back single sign on and trust– use the WAN as the 80’s LANs: all global users happy


The fabric (machines and network)

• Surfnet5/Gigaport networking– Now: 20 Gbit/s IP backbone (POS framing)– In 2003: 80 Gbit/s– Connects universities, institutes and acad. home users

• Client connections now:– NIKHEF: 1 Gbit/s Surfnet,2x1 Gbit/s WTCWnet (SARA)– VU: 155 Mbit/s (soon 1Gbit/s)

• Compute Resources– Farms, supercomputer, tape robot, visualization, …


Microbeam and VLAM-G network

• Secure connection between microbeam and WTCW• IPsec tunnel (VPN): encryption and integrity checking

SurfNet backbone

ComputeFarm

VPN router

VU – counting roomInstitute Network CampusNet

VPN router


The VLAM-G Applications

• Three prototype applications for the VLAM-G– Materials Analysis of Complex Surfaces (MacsLab)

• Microbeam, FT-IR, TOF-SIMS mass spectroscopy

– Biomedical simulation and visualization (VRE)• Link patient MRI scans with blood-flow simulations in vessels

– Genome expression studies using a DNA Micro Array (Expressive)

• Mass-test reaction of antibodies on DNA and proteins

• Applications share concept of Process Flow• Many use unique (in NL) resources or

need compute power


A layered architecture

VLAM Science Portal + Workbench

OthersDNA Arraygenome

expression

Material AnaMicro beam

FTIR, ...

Bio Medicine

MRI Scanner

Application

Grid Fabric(Farms, microscope, etc.)

VLAM RTS

Grid Middleware(Globus)

Domains


Objectives

• Designing middleware:bridge gap between Grid- and application-layer

• Enable VL users to define, execute, and monitor their experiments

• Provide to VL users: location independent experimentation, familiar experimentation environment assistance during his experiment


Information and process flow

Informationgathering

Experimentation Interpretation

Access todevices Access to information

Grid accessible infra: apparatus, systems, network

Access todata


A simple architecture view

Front-end

RTS Assistant

Collaboration

Globus Toolkit Application DB

VLAM

KernelDB


Application Domain DB Characteristics of typical application

Scientist(s) performing the experiment On objects and pre-existing information & data On which processes operate

That use apparatus with specific properties Resulting in new data and information

A domain-specific flow of processes

Expressive MACS EFCExamples:Expressive, MACS, EFC, ...


VL-AM Kernel DB

Stores user support information: experiment topology definitions module descriptions user information

Provides cross-links to application annotationsknows the context in which data was generated|

Extends resource directories now used in Grid


Device control

• Needs a very stable and secure environment• Concurrent access:

– Full control for (many) local operators– Limited control for remote end-users (laymen)

• Control very device dependent (unique properties)• Use dedicated control software as user interface

• DACQ output needs to be integrated in the VLAM


A microprobe experiment (Analysis)


A User’s View


VLAM-G current status

• Prototypes of the analysis environment exist• Distributed compute environment ready @WCW (VU soon)

• Integrating the various parts of VLAM-G AM • Currently building the analysis GUI• Expect working demo in June (HPCN conference)• Analysis modules: Stefan Piet and Gert Eijkel

• Secure Network to VU: now selecting equipment• Building of device interface (LabView): Q3/Q4 2001

Documents

David Groep / 2001.05.08Virtual Lab overview1 Virtual Laboratory Overview A collaborative analysis environment for applied experimental science Distributed