In addition to the bodies defined in the MoU we should mention here also the Task Forces that have recently been formed to coordinate activities concerned with the usage by the experiments of software and services provided in the context of LCG, particularly experience in the planned Service Challenges. Each Task Force is run by the experiment concerned and has different functions according to the needs of the experiment, but they have the general function of providing, through regular weekly or bi-weekly meetings, a single and visible communication point between each experiment and LCG deployment/service management in the following areas:
current usage of the LCG services -- monitoring of progress, escalating problems, establishing performance and functionality metrics, agreeing priorities and recording agreements;
evaluation and testing of new middleware and services relevant for LCG -- setting clear targets and timescales, monitoring the progress of the testing activity and of the response from the development and support teams, and documenting the conclusion;
medium term planning of the evolution of the usage by the experiment of the LCG services -- documenting the experiment planned requirements and the way in which they will be fulfilled by the service, providing a joint plan that can be monitored by the Task Force;
longer term planning -- agreeing on the relationships between the LCG Phase2 milestones and the internal milestones of the experiments.
The membership is decided by each experiment but includes appropriate experts and representatives from middleware, deployment and service management. The Task Forces report on progress to the MB through the project quarterly reports. Specific issues may be brought to the attention of the MB via the experiment MB members.
While the higher level issues apply to all LCG services, independent of the grid on which they are provided (e.g. EGEE, OSG), lower level issues are covered by the Task Forces only for the EGEE grid, where there is a close and direct relationship with LCG at the operational level. For the OSG grid, and for distributed facilities such as NDGF and the Canadian grid, a similar level of reporting on such issues will be made to the MB via the appropriate Tier-1 site - BNL, FNAL, NDGF, Triumf.
The Task Forces has an additional function as the communication point between each experiment and the EGEE project. EGEE, INFN and CERN/LCG provide human resources at CERN to assist the experiments to use the EGEE grid (the EIS and ARDA/NA4 staff - currently 12 FTEs rising to 20 FTEs in EGEE Phase 2). The way in which these staff are used, and how their work relates to defined goals and timetables for testing, evaluating and deploying new developments will be agreed and monitored by the Task Forces..
The leaders of the Task Forces are ex officio members of the EGEE Technical Coordination Group.