1. 30-Jun-04UCL HEP Computing Status June 20041 UCL HEP Computing Status April 20034 DESKTOPS LAPTOPS BATCH PROCESSING DEDICATED SYSTEMS GRID MAIL WEB WTS SECURITY SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE BACKUP PRINTING NETWORKING MISC.

2. 30-Jun-04UCL HEP Computing Status June 20042 Rough inventory ~50 desktop machines from 166 MHz Pentiums to dual 2.4 GHz Xeons (latest with flat-panel screens) Assorted laptops (spanning spectrum of ownership & management) User file server with ~300 GBs of disk Two 1.2TB IDE RAID arrays for data Separate mail and Web servers Small EDG Grid cluster New 10 x dual 2.4 GHz DELL rackmount cpu farm CDF rackmount eqpt: 8-way IBM, 10 x dual 2.4 GHz DELL farm 3 high capacity printers (2 colour, 1 b&w) Standard o/s is RedHat Linux, Windows via WTS or dual-boot laptops small increase in numbers RAID experience disappointing now LCG added 4TB Eonstor working well + new cpu & disk still surviving linked to LCG node moving to WTS2000 “”

3. 30-Jun-04UCL HEP Computing Status June 20043 Strategic changes 1.Servers moving back to the Computer Room 2.Desktops getting cheaper in absolute terms 3.Most people have laptops one way or another 4.Grid facilities appearing 5.Security measures need re-appraisal 6.Relative costs of disk and tape equalising 7.Increasing user expectation of remote access 8.WTS proving successful 9.Anticipation of convergence with College facilities (mail,Web,firewall) & room moving! integration with Group & College facilities? but RAID disappointing now not so clear 10. Strategy document in preparation still multi-user, however standardisation still not practical College, Group & internal fire-walls? Group funding of broadband hardware now WTS2000 – also used from home

4. 30-Jun-04UCL HEP Computing Status June 20044 Issues 1.When to replace old desktops and what with? 2.Various laptop issues (what to buy, who for, how to manage?) 3.Convergence of batch cpu with Grid 4.Control of rackmount systems 5.Management of experiment-specific systems 6.Mail-server long-term strategy - integration with College facilities? 7.Support of project-based Web facilities 8.Backup strategy: RAID (IDE, SCSI?), tape robot 9.Network security: College firewall, vulnerability of authentication info 10.Hardware security: how to secure laptops, flat screens, etc 11.Wireless security 12.How to provide more professional video conferencing phased out <300MHz fire-walling off need to consider seriously with room move o/s convergence? postponed? Still tape+disk (rlbackup?) trying College “RoamNet” system remote-controlled camera + VTX1000? use cables until insurers require more 13. Choice of Linux version & standardisation is Grid trustworthy? now LCG more fire-walling

5. 30-Jun-04UCL HEP Computing Status June 20045 Main concern It’s the same old complaint, but… none of it is getting easier! The demands of project work don’t allow enough time to do a proper system management job with the manpower currently funded. …well, we asked for more software support in our Rolling Grant application and are waiting with fingers crossed!