Application for vBNS Experiments involving Unidata Internet Data Distribution (IDD)

or

The Unidata VeryHighSpeed Internet Data Distribution (vIDD) System

REVISED: .

Ben Domenico
Unidata Program Manager

Note that this application was originally submitted nearly a year ago, but the original experiment languished because the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) in place at that time precluded any expansion of the test system in such a fashion that it would benefit the Unidata user community at large.

However, recent changes in the acceptable use policy as well as the first set of NSF "vBNS Connections" grants have altered the picture so that we can now begin testing a system which has a high likelihood of benefiting the Unidata community of about 150 university departments using real time environmental data in their research and education programs. Please note that new vBNS Connection grant opportunities are available about every 6 months.

Overview

The Unidata community of universities has implemented a national Internet Data Delivery (IDD) system which delivers a daily aggregate of over 20 gigabytes of environmental data in near real time to over 130 university departments. A new generation of observing and prediction systems is now producing or is about to deliver a new set of data products that will severely strain the current IDD. These include NOAAPort, NEXRAD (in particular level 2 data), direct observations from GOES satellites, data from EOS, as well as regional models run on high-powered workstations in university departments. Moreover, we are finding that Unidata systems are being used in other disciplines. Those most often cited are Oceanography and Hydrology, but we are also beginning an experiment with the Incorporated Research Institutes for Seismology (IRIS) to determine whether the IDD can play a role in delivering seismic data to researchers and educators in that discipline. The clear message here is that it will be important to take advantage of new high speed networking technology to get all these new environmental datasets into the hands of the associated academic communities in a timely fashion. This proposal for experimental work on a veryHighSpeed IDD (the vIDD) is one step in that process. It will enable us to begin testing the software components of the system (mainly the Unidata Local Data Manager) in an environment where network bandwidth is not a primary constraint. Obviously it will also be necessary for the institutions involved in the effort to find a way to connect to the vBNS. But, once they are connected, they will be in a position to participate in the vIDD.

vbns usage allocation information:

non vBNS resources needed:

  1. existing NSF funded supercomputers. List each machine to be used (provide scc grant number for allocated time):

    None needed.

  2. other attached facilities: (for each list name, amount of time available, and tnoc)

    n/a

  3. other attachments to vbns site(s). (for each list: equipment [including physical requirements, e.g., size and power] physical means of attachment, and tnoc [that understands needed configuration of equipment]):

    Need to have Sun/SGI-class workstations attached to the vBNS at each Unidata site where the campus has a vBNS connection. If we can use an existing workstation that is already connected, we would have to install the Unidata LDM software on that workstation. If such a workstation is not available, we would have to find a way to connect a workstation from the Unidata group (typically in the Atmospheric Science Dept.) at each site to the vBNS. Arrangements are already being made for such connections at the NCAR/UCAR/Unidata site. Contacts between vBNS staff and atmospheric science staff have been made at Cornell and Illinois. However, no concrete steps have been taken to connect the LDM computer to the vBNS at any of the sites.

  4. additional attachments at non-vBNS site(s) (via carrier ATM interconnects). for each list: equipment, amount of time available to researcher on equipment, physical means of attachment, tnoc at remote nlanr site, tnoc for carrier interconnect.

    For departments where the campus has a vBNS connection, but the Unidata LDM computer is not connected, there will be differing needs for establishing the connection. See item 3. above. The detailed needs at Cornell and Illinois are being worked out. At NCAR/UCAR, we will need 4 ATM cards to connect workstations at:

    • the NCAR Mesa Lab for the vBNS connection
    • Unidata for monitoring
    • NCAR Foothills Lab where the GOES Direct Readout system is located
    • NCAR Mesa Lab where the main UCAR IDD machine is located.

  5. facilities requiring attachment of new vBNS site(s). for each list: equipment, amount of time available to researcher on equipment, tnoc at site, additional justifications for attachment of new site to vBNS.

    n/a

vBNS resources needed:

  1. dedicated time: list nodes to be used and time required. specify networking protocols (e.g., tcp/ip, raw atm)

    No dedicated time is needed. The IDD system runs constantly and shares the network with other traffic, delivering data as it arrives from observing systems. ONC RPC over TCP/IP protocols are used. In addition, the Unidata IDD has established its own set of LDM Protocols which will be employed.

  2. private virtual circuits. for each private vc required, list:
      a. endpoints (2, or more if multicast)
      b. qos parameters, including guaranteed and max bandwidth
      c. total time required
    also sum total bandwidth requirements for all vc's, in units of hrs*Mbit/sec. specify networking protocols (e.g., tcp/ip, raw atm)

    Not needed in phase 1 implementation.

  3. shared vbns time.
    a. list each machine that will use vbns in shared mode

    For phase 1 and 2:
    at least one workstation connected to the vBNS at each participating site.

    b. estimate total vBNS usage, including amount of data to be transferred, dataset size, transfer frequency

    For phase 1 and 2:
    Approximately 3 GBytes of data per hour on the average.

    c. specify expected peak bandwidth

    Approximately 10 MBits/second

    d. specify networking protocols (e.g., tcp/ip, raw atm)

    ONC RPC over TCP/IP

  4. vbns support facilities.
    a. vbns alpha workstation time: list those needed, what for and amount time
    b. dedicated testNet time: list testNet nodes needed, and hours required. specify networking protocols (e.g., tcp/ip, raw atm)

    n/a

  5. other: e.g., traffic analysis requires interposing monitors into existing vbns traffic streams. describe as completely as possible the requirements, including special routing considerations, and total duration of any modifications which must be made to the network.

    The overall national IDD system has its own set of monitoring components for gathering statistics regarding system performance, but these do not require any special modifications to the network.

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