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AARNet Copyright 2013 THETA-2013: 9-Apr-13: Alex Reid

Network Operations

How Researchers Embrace eResearch:

A Case Study of CloudStor

Alex Reid & Guido Aben

THETA-2013: Hobart. 9-Apr-13

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Owner

Theta CC stamp

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/


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What is eResearch? • eResearch (eScience) is about global collaboration in key areas of science

and the next generation of infrastructure (“e-infrastructure,” or “cyberinfrastructure”) that enables it (John Taylor).

• eResearch is the use of information technology to support existing and new forms of research (Wikipedia).

• eResearch refers to the development of, and the support for, information and computing technologies (ICT) to facilitate all phases of research processes. It's concerned with technologies that support all the processes involved in research including (but not limited to) creating and sustaining research collaborations and discovering, analysing, processing, publishing, storing and sharing research data and information (JISC).

• eResearch not only enhances existing forms of research, but actually opens up a whole new form of research (Jim Gray, 4th Paradigm).


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Categorising eResearchers

Wolski & Richardson: Moving Researchers Across the eResearch Chasm, Ariadne, 29-Oct-10. Moore, Geoffrey A: Crossing the Chasm, 2nd Ed., 1999. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Technology-Adoption-Lifecycle.png


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eResearchers’ Needs • Moore’s Technology Adoption Cycle. • Chasm between Early Adopters and Early Majority due to:

– Majority want to enhance the productivity of their existing operation, not radically change it (as Early Adopters are happy to do).

– Majority rely on Reference Cases from their peers (Catch-22). • Importance of User-Friendliness, even for the

technologically-literate. • Importance of Reliability – Majority don’t want to debug. • Importance of Continuity of service.


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Technology Hype Cycle


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Identifying eResearchers’ Needs • Fourth Paradigm: data-driven research/science • Market surveys • Demand-driven: cf bleeding-edge researchers/scientists • Build it (IT) and they will come • Achieving a balance between responding to demand and

anticipating demand (AARNet): – Network capacity – head room – National Video Conference System – NOC – eduroam – CloudStor – CloudStor+


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Consulting with the Community • Formal Structures:

– Community-owned legal structure – Elected Board – Advisory Committee

• Informal Structures: – User Working Groups – Roadshows – Site Visits – Conference mingling

• Build on exemplars from Innovators & Early Adopters • International Liaison


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Understanding eResearchers • CloudStor Example:

– Rapid take-up – Extensive, sustained use – Cross-sector, interdisciplinary use – Minimal user support – Rapidly moved from innovators & early adopters to early

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CloudStor Usage


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Understanding eResearchers

• MRI files to Austria for conversion

• 1 compressed file (12 study participants = 1GB

• 300 study participants over 18 months

Marlene Fransen | Associate Professor Physiotherapy Faculty of Health Sciences | Clinical and Rehabilitation Sciences Research Group | THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY


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• DeltaVision OMX 3D Structured Illumination Microscope (3D-SIM)

• Up to 20GB/day

• Visiting researchers collect processed output via Cloudstor

Lynne Turnbull | Chancellor’s Postdoctorate Research Fellow | The ithree Institute | THE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY

* Images courtesy of A/Prof Cynthia Whitchurch and Dr Lynne Turnbull, Microbial Imaging Facility, UTS


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Understanding eResearchers • Researchers deliver samples

• Outputs genome DNA sequence data files

• 8 x 1GB compressed/month

Mark Edwards | Southern Cross Plant Genomics | Southern Cross Plant Science | SOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITY


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• Collaboration is common

• Cross-sector is typical

• Data formats varied

Wendy Mason | PhD Candidate, Computational Geodynamics | School of Geosciences and Mathematical Sciences | MONASH UNIVERSITY

*Quote citation: W. G. Mason, G. Aben, J. J. Meijer, C. Richter, C. P. Bonnington, L. Moresi & P. G. Betts, "Facilitating Research Collaboration in the Australian Geoscience Community using CloudStor", 2010 Sixth IEEE International Conference on e-Science, 2010 (In Press).

Underworld subduction model, in which the strain rate invariant is plotted on the slab particles (Wendy Mason, Louis Moresi and Peter Betts, Schools of Geosciences and Mathematical Sciences, Monash University)


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Understanding eResearchers • Large TIFF files sent to

publishers

• Conference output sent to colleagues in Australia & Netherlands

• Fits naturally within normal mode of operation

Terry Johns | Senior Scientist & Research Fellow | Centre for Cancer Research | Monash Institute of Medical Research

Small cell lung cancer viewed through a microscope. Image from MI News, issue 52, Nov-2011 http://www.monashinstitute.org


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Understanding eResearchers • 100MB+ Ocean Modelling

Data

• Local and Overseas collaborators

• Previously mailed hard drives

Ryan Lowe | Associate Professor | UWA Oceans Institute | The University of Western Australia

°C

Satellite sea surface temperature image of the NW Cape region. Image from “Seasonal circulation and temperature variability near the North West Cape of Australia, Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol 117, 2012


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Understanding eResearchers • 250,000 radio signal

samples/sec

• Plans 20GB files daily

• Transfer Sydney to Brisbane

Steve Glass | NICTA Researcher | Institute for Integrated and Intelligent Systems | Griffith University

Wireless mesh networks Image from “Securing Wireless Mesh Networks”, Internet Computing, IEEE, 2008/7.


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Understanding eResearchers What can we learn from these examples? • All had a problem with existing technologies. • Much research is collaborative (interstate, overseas). • The problem is common globally. • Mix of early adopters and early majority. • Most learned of CloudStor from colleagues (through the

grape vine). • Fits in with existing way of operation. • No training required meant rapid uptake (now >6,000). • It “just works”.


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Finding Other Needs eg Personal Cloud Storage for Researchers: • Problem exists:

– Researchers (eg CloudStor users) keep telling us; – Significant use of similar services – Other solutions are lacking (latency, data jurisdiction, DF demise)

• Market exists – huge use of DropBox, etc, also Data Fabric. • Building blocks exist (Open Source: ownCloud, Hadoop) • Launch of CloudStor+ project:

– 100GB free – Local, backbone-connected nodes – Single sign-on (via AAF) – National distribution via Hadoop – Access, synchronise, share


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Why CloudStor+? • Logical and expected next step for CloudStor. • We’ve been asked repeatedly why we haven’t. • We have a strong operational track record. • Complementary addition to AARNet’s Cloud Services

approach. • Leverage the fast national network. • Leverage existing (Mirror & CloudStor) infrastructure. • Need for a sustainable offering (longevity). • Open Source licensed way forward. • Move away from high latency overseas working storage.


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Why CloudStor+?


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Why CloudStor+? • Speed comparison:

• Shows value of locally-connected servers.


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Cloud Services Landscape

On-Net backup solution

Via Internet2 Net+ Via Direct Connect

+AARNet Optic/VPN Distributed Storage

of Datasets of National Importance

AARNet’s personal research

cloud storage


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Why AARNet? AARNet’s Product Services: • AARNet doesn’t just run a network. • Leverage/exploit the established infrastructure &

operations.

• Create and package fee-for-service and bundled products and solutions.

• From services that can be applied repeatedly to multiple customers and take advantage of a shared services model.

• That leverage the AARNet network and the expertise of AARNet staff and the collective knowledge of members.


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AARNet Product Services Examples: • Unified Communications. • Packaged “Cloud Services” (Private circuits, DC

interconnect, Head Agreements, Global initiatives). • Managed WAN services (Including NOC). • Managed DC Services. • Storage (CloudStor+).


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Services that Researchers Embrace • Listen to the community. • Notice what the Innovators are doing. • Consult your peers (internationally). • Maintain awareness of technology capabilities/directions. • Collaborate on development. • Leverage existing assets. • Try to conform to current operational norms. • Enrol Innovators and early adopters. • Attention to usability, reliability, sustainability.


Alex Reid: [email protected] / 040 888 5515

Documents

How Researchers Embrace eResearch: A Case Study of CloudStor … library... · uts uwa uws vu. CloudStor Usage ... Illumination Microscope (3D -SIM) ... International Conference on