1. A Sustainable future is in the hands of CLARA and the Latin American NRENs
Roberto Barbera (Univ. of Catania and INFN)
on behalf of Luis Nuñez (RedCLARA)
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March Taipei (Taiwan)

2. Latin America/CLARA Specificities The GISELA business strategy Actions
Outline
Latin America/CLARA Specificities
The GISELA business strategy
Actions
Conclusions
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

3. Latin America/CLARA Specificities
A non-profit organisation with 15 National Research and Education Networks (NRENs)
With diversity of technical skills and maturity of local scientific communities of its members
The Brazilian and Venezuelan NRENs are the only ones that have structural governmental support
The rest of the LA countries have built their NRENs with the support of their members, charging them for operations and services
For the rest of LA countries several different organisational schemes can be found, sometimes involving also the private sector
Mature
Developing
Starting
Gov. Supported
The multi-country membership nature of CLARA, a non-profit organisation, and the multi-diversity of technical skills of its members, derived from dissimilar Academic Communities in the Latin American region, have resulted in a very peculiar way of building a business plan for any service that needs to be deployed to its broad community and yet be sustainable.
However, Grid knowledge and skills maturity in the region need more improvements. Slight individual progress has been accomplished in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Panama and Uruguay. Greater progress has been observed in Colombia that has already installed its NGI and Grid Operation Centre (GOC). Mexico is also consolidating a GOC, RCs and Network Operation Centre (NOC) interrelationship, through its Joint Research Unit (JRU).
CLARA has a membership of 18 National Research and Education Networks (NRENs). Eleven Latin American countries are represented in GISELA, either by NRENs (five), or by a NREN and an Academic Institution (1), or only by Academic Institutions. It is worth noting that these countries / institutions have different levels of maturity in Grid e-infrastructure skills.
CLARA has to find the most efficient way to operate infrastructures with a minimum budget and a maximum benefit for its members
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

4. The evolution …
EELA
--01/01/2006
--31/12/2007
GISELA
--31/08/2012
--01/09/2010
EELA-2
--01/04/2008
--31/03/2010
18 Resources Centres provide skilful personnel to support and develop services in the region
435 trained users / 73 inst.
1794 cores platform
Operation 24/7
The projects EELA, EELA2, other projects ( Latin American Grid (LAGrid) in 2006, financed by IBM; and now Open Science Grid (OSG9) voluntary initiative ) created a potential (and apparently a real) market for the use of Grid services. Academic and Research communities in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Chile have developed greater expertise than Cuba and Venezuela. Furthermore, during EELA-2, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico established a country JRU. Some of them have even evolved to a NGI or EDGS. There is support from the National Organisms of Science and Technology that, in their majority, finance these national initiatives except in Mexico where the JRU has no funding for its operation.
Mexico and Brazil have gained greater expertise followed by Colombia, in the certification of RCs premises and setting them into production, as well as, the build-out of a Regional Operation Centre (ROC) infrastructure. The rest of the countries are either in a basic configuration of RCs ready to become productive, or have reached the production status modestly.
Services. LA counts with few but effective trainers in the region to setup administration RC sites, and to support VRCs or individuals in the customisation of their applications to use the Grid infrastructure. Two groups have acquired the knowledge to manage a ROC (ROC-LA and ROC IGALC). However, there has not been success in the consolidation of NGIs and the expansion of VRCs and applications using GISELA Grid Infrastructure for different reasons
GISELA 34 production applications inherited from EELA / EELA-2 represent potential communities
e-Infrastructure
inherited from EELA and EELA2 projects
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

5. Current CLARA Services : Connectivity + Communication+ Content
Webconference (VCEspresso)
Videoconference (SIVIC)
Content Management (DSpace)
E-Learning System (Moodle)
Video on Demand (CLARAVe)
Web 2.0: Wikis, Blogs
Researchers/Funding opportunities/Partner search
News, Agenda, etc
GISELA triggered
the first Advanced Computing Service !
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

6. Generic business models…
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

7. … and the GISELA implementation
Knowledge
Dissemi-
nation
User supp.
Fostering
e-Science
International
dimension
Domain
specific
applications
e-Research
CLARA
NRENs
Resource
Centres (RC)
EU and LA
research
groups
e-Infrastruc-
ture and
applications
as a service
SGs
and
IdFs
Competitiveness w.r.t.
commercial providers
e-Infrastructure pay per use
back to the RCs
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

8. Sustainability Recipe
Take a look around and identify all products you can offer. Thinking out of the box, exploits those services based on your most competitive skills
Wrap out all your products in a incremental model
Simplify the service deliver methodology
Aiming to the widest group of users
Making
Do your math to evaluate your cost and to explain the way you did your math
Be competitive but also solidary leaving spaces for those who can not afford the services
Workout a marketing plan to reach users
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

9. Grid Services Replicating Networking Services
In CLARA’s network activities a Regional Network Operation Centre (RNOC) catches the functions of the countries that have no domestic NOC
When domestic network infrastructures grow, the NRENs are going to be able to install their own NOC
Once this happens, the RNOC will transfer the domestic networking functions to the NOC that has been installed
CLARA auctions, among its members NRENs the operation of the regional NOC every four years
The Grid pioneer Infrastructure could follow the same model
Those countries that can support the creation of a GOC (Grid Operation Centre) will have one, and those who cannot afford it or are not mature enough to create one, can use the Regional Grid Operation Centre (GSC)
Domestic GOCs are responsible for their domestic services and interact with the ROC when services have a regional scope
Those countries without a GOC, will use the ROC for domestic functions in their country.
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

10. CLARA Advanced Computing Services
Adv. Comp. (AC) Expertise Transfer. Technical Consulting to assist in house applications
Customising an existing application to profit the existing Adv. Comp. e-Infrastructure
Developing in house new applications required by the customer organisation (Research, Industry or NREN)
SDK/SourceFourge Training To increase the awareness on the AC environments
Wizard for basic applications. Allows the less expert users and/or NREN to install their applications
Federated Authentication Resources. Grant authorized access to use the federated resources at a continental scale
Application Shelf Service: Application Shelf Allows users, industrial partner and/or NREN to contract computing resources
Virtual Resources Grid Allocation. Virtual services e-Infrastructure, such as:
Allocation of AC resources allowing the member institutions to configure AC environments (cores/storage/network provisioning) and elements needed to execute their applications
Running Services records, tracking the processes submitted to the e-infrastructure
Data Preservation Services. Offer the possibility to store their data for a period of time
Training and Capacity Building Service. To increases the usage and the culture of Advanced Computing Services by providing people the information and the skills needed to access the AC Services
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

11. Cooperative Broker Model
CLARA Grid VRC Organisational Model
NOC
Regional NOC+NOC
NETWORK MANAGER (NSC)
CLARA
Country LA–1
REUNA
Country LA–2
Country LA–N
GOC
Regional GOC+GOC
NGI or EDGS
APPLICATIONS MANAGER
Grid Community Coordinator
Complex Model
Cooperative
Broker Model
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

12. A Regional Cooperative Solution Offers
A Regional Cooperative
Solution Offers
On demand resources (Hardware, Software & Manware) from the research groups to the research groups
High bandwidth and low latency from the Experimental academic advanced Networks
Replicating other services in the RedCLARA Operational Structure
Added value to the existent infrastructure
Better use of the existent computational infrastructure and expertise from different countries
Promoting local middleware solutions better suited for the region
User
Grid
Science Gateway
Authentication
Cloud
Virtual Instruments
Virtual Servers
Commercial
Providers
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

13. Science Gateway Service Centric Model
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

14. CLARA Grid-VRC Support Model Science Gateway Centric Model
Developer
Administrator
Autentication
User
Cloud
Virtual Instruments
Virtual Servers
VRC
Check Service
Description
RedCLARA RC
Submit
Service
Request
Consult the
Advance Computing
Resources Available
Find the
Suitable
Resources
Send the VR
availability
Shows Budget
Login &
Send Data
Data
Processing
Accept
Budget
OUT
Elaborates
contract
Register
and login
Virtual Resource on demand 2
Yes
Storage
Consult
Read
Display
Basic View
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

15. Regional Competitive Solution
Business Model Parameters
RC Profit Margin %
300%
RedCLARA Profit Margin
60%
% RedCLARA Capacity
30%
Max-Cores- GISELA Capacity
1794
MAX-Cores-RedCLARA Capacity
538
Max Num days/year (80% UpTime)
292
Hours per day 24
RedCLARA Price
€ 0.17
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

16. Two Examples of RC Costs (€)
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

17. Operation Evolution
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

18. SERVUCTION & Operational Profit
First and Second year of operation after GISELA end (31/08/2012 →)
½ FTE for administrative purposes as contracts, bills and expenditures
½ FTE for technical support
1 FTE fore marketing and sales
Third year (1 FTE - Administrative, 1 FTE - Technical, and 1 FTE – sales)
Fixed Costs
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

19. Business Model Supported by 3 Actions
Science Gateway Technical Capacities
Funding sources from S&T Agencies
Marketing towards VRC/User Communties
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

20. Action Plan (1/3)
Raise awareness, sensitize and inform on the different opportunities of the Advanced Services
Sensitizing and informing research communities of the opportunities that Advanced Services could bring to their environment
Organize Virtual Days on Technology and the Community
Organize courses and competencies for students who have applications of general use
Document the existing applications of the GISElA Science Gateway, by creating tutorials to ease the use and appropriation.
Raise awareness, sensitize and inform the decision makers of S & T and the Directors of the National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) on the opportunities that Advanced Computing Services could bring to Science and Technology
Interviews with Latin American high authorities of decision makers in Science and Technology. CLARA’s Academic Manager is coordinating interviews with decision makers (Ministers, Directors and General Secretaries) of S&T in the LA region
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

21. Action Plan(2/3)
Identify the real needs of Advanced Computing Services by research communities. It is necessary to understand real needs of advanced computing services in the LA region. The communities need to produce a positive social impact in their research results in order to attract the S&T decision makers’ and NRENs Directors’ attention
Identify communities that produce research results with high positive social impact as potential users of advanced computing services
Identify “ambassadors” of each community to conduct a series of actions to first understand the communities’ needs and then to induce the communities into advanced computing services
 Increase technical potentialities and capacities of the GISELA Science Gateway to provide an easy and friendly interface that can be used to access different web services through different platforms
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

22. Action Plan (3/3)
Train research communities so they adopt the GISELA Science Gateway into their daily research. Communities need to be able to build and maintain their own portals and include all the applications they need to develop research projects
Creation of a Task Force (in collaboration with EPIKH) to implement and give technical support to applications running in the GISELA Science Gateway environment.
Deploy applications of communities with social impact: seismology and climate
Install Identity Federation Systems in at least two countries of the Latin American region
Document extensively the processes of adaptation and configuration of the GISELA Science Gateway
Redefine the web interface and usability of the portal
Create on line and detailed technical documentation to have a permanent reference for the Task Force professionals and local technical representatives of the different institutions involved in the e-infrastructure and resource centers.
Create a AuthN &AuthZ Infrastructure (AAI) in Latin America based on federated indentity services, "cloning & adapting" the existing "catch all" services developed at INFN Catania
Update of the CP/CPS documents of the Certification Authorities established in Latin America to allow them issue "robot certificates" that are necessary for the GISELA Science Gateway
Organise a cycle of technical seminars to follow up of the installation of applications
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

23. Conclusions (1/2)
The service architecture based on GISELA SG centric model includes all possible services to be offered by RedCLARA
The cooperative shared cost broker model is economically viable and competitive with the present commercial offer
It has been validated with the
Directors on NRENs at the RedCLARA Assembly (Oct 27th, 2011)
Need to be explained to the S&T Agencies
Need to be aligned with National Initiatives
Good idea: 30% National capacity to be share regional + Funds for RC
Need to be related with other EU projects (RISC, CHAIN, ProIdeal)
Application Committee (Nov 18th, 2011)
Need to allow the possibility to “credit cores” for research projects
Need to allow possibility to offer 5% financed resources for good proposals with no funding opportunities
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

24. Conclusions (2/2)
RedCLARA Assembly (Nov 10th, 2011) and RedCLARA Board Meeting (Dec 2nd , 2011) recommended to:
Evaluate the cost/performance of the GISELA e-Infrastructure
Convince two or three candidates to start/test the model
Look for funding for the test period (~2 years)
Develop a LA Call for a Science Gateway Task Force
Training at LA and EU technical people from VE, CO, PE, MX, EC
F2F meeting and workshop at the Joint GISELA-CHAIN Conference
Aggressive plan to interact with LA Science & Technology Agencies (AR, CL, MX, PE, EC, CO, VE)
Marketing strategy aiming to VRC and ComCLARA Communities
CLARA Market Study for Cloud Services for standard computing services
ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)

25. ISGC’ 2012, 26th February to 02nd March 2012 Taipei (Taiwan)