Speaker
Dr
roberto santinelli
(CERN/IT/PSS)
Description
The LHC experiments are currently preparing for data acquisition in 2007 and because
of the large amount of required computing and storage resources, they decided to
embrace the grid paradigm. The LHC Computing Project (LCG) provides and operates a
computing infrastructure suitable for data handling, Monte Carlo production and
analysis.
While LCG offers a set of high level services, intended to be generic enough to
accommodate the needs of different Virtual Organizations, the LHC experiments
software framework and applications are very specific and focused on the computing
and data models.
The LCG Experiment Integration Support team works in close contact with the
experiments, the middleware developers and the LCG certification and operations
teams to integrate the underlying grid middleware with the experiment specific
components. The strategical position between the experiments and the middleware
suppliers allows EIS team to play a key role at communications level between the
customers and the service providers.
This activity is the source of many improvements on the middleware side, especially
by channelling the experience and the requirements of the LHC experiments.
The scope of the EIS activity encompasses several areas:
1) Understanding of the experiment needs
2) Identify open issues and possible solutions
3) Develop specific interfaces, services and components (when missing in or not yet
satisfactory)
4) Provide operational support during Data Challenges, Service Challenges and
massive productions.
5) Provide and maintain the user documentation;
6) Provide tutorial for the users community
In the last year, the focus has been extended also to non High-Energy Physics
communities like Biomed, GEANT4 and UNOSAT. In this work we discuss the EIS
experience, describing the issues raising in the organization of the Virtual
Organization support and the achievements, together with the lessons learned. This
activity will continue in the framework of EGEE II, and we believe could be an
example for several users communities on how to optimise their uptake of grid
technology in the most efficient way.
Authors
Dr
Andrea Sciaba
(CERN/IT/PSS)
Antonio Delgado Peris
(CERN/IT/PSS)
Dr
Flavia Donno
(CERN/IT/GD)
Dr
Massimo Lamanna
(CERN/IT/PSS)
Dr
Patricia Mendez Lorenzo
(CERN/IT/PSS)
Dr
Simone Campana
(CERN/IT/PSS)
Dr
roberto santinelli
(CERN/IT/PSS)
