Atlas CAP Closeout Thanks to all the presenters for excellent and frank presentations Thanks to all the presenters for excellent and frank presentations

Project Overall U.S. Atlas (and International Atlas) have made considerable progress in the past 12 months U.S. Atlas (and International Atlas) have made considerable progress in the past 12 months Budgets remain very tight, and may jeopardize project goals, especially in the out years Budgets remain very tight, and may jeopardize project goals, especially in the out years

Management (1) Overall, the management of the Software & Computing of the research program appears healthy... Overall, the management of the Software & Computing of the research program appears healthy... For FY2006-FY2007, an adequate management reserve is being maintained. For FY2008, it is ephemeral, in that the computing project deficits consume the full reserve (i.e. there is no reserve). Moreover, the Tier 1 plans do not include the expected increase in overhead by 30%, which pushes the overhead well above the reserve. For FY2006-FY2007, an adequate management reserve is being maintained. For FY2008, it is ephemeral, in that the computing project deficits consume the full reserve (i.e. there is no reserve). Moreover, the Tier 1 plans do not include the expected increase in overhead by 30%, which pushes the overhead well above the reserve. Recommendation: Make presentation of what is “unfunded” explicit. Minor point: Use of Access and Project does not yet (apparently) include resource loading. These details are being held at lower levels of project (software, tier1, etc.). Minor point: Use of Access and Project does not yet (apparently) include resource loading. These details are being held at lower levels of project (software, tier1, etc.).

Management (2) (Formal) Change Control remains for the most part unimplemented, and is not being used as a management tool. (Formal) Change Control remains for the most part unimplemented, and is not being used as a management tool. –The one change which exercised the mechanism this year was an aggregate “omnibus” change, which is not a recommended approach –The move to PanDA should have invoked change control under any reasonable definitions of triggers –The re-organization of the WBS should likewise have invoked change control, even if cost neutral –A 3 month milestone delay as a trigger is much too lax at this stage of the project –“Changes in scope / cost” as a trigger is too vague; recommend adding an FTE-month or $$$ qualification Recommendation: Utilize Change Control more formally.

Software (1) Data analysis model has matured to the level of having a concrete definition of the AOD (additional work needed is recognized) Data analysis model has matured to the level of having a concrete definition of the AOD (additional work needed is recognized) –Further effort on optimizing read performance of the AOD & ESD would be well spent now –While the transient/persistent model shows good initial gains, should study whether simplifying the persistent data structures will in the end result in higher performance Geometry effort impressive, facilitating a nice event display Geometry effort impressive, facilitating a nice event display

Software (2) Responded well to problems in DC2 and future scaling challenges by developing a tool (PanDA) that minimized reliance on the weak links in the grid toolset. Change made at good point: early enough to do good job in hardening, not so early as to miss opportunity for maturing middleware. Responded well to problems in DC2 and future scaling challenges by developing a tool (PanDA) that minimized reliance on the weak links in the grid toolset. Change made at good point: early enough to do good job in hardening, not so early as to miss opportunity for maturing middleware. Presentations need polish: PanDA might be viewed as an adhoc, non-collaborative effort. Need to emphasize that Presentations need polish: PanDA might be viewed as an adhoc, non-collaborative effort. Need to emphasize that –at top end, interfaces to standard executor –at the bottom end, interfaces to standard grid

Software (3) Commissioning strategy... Commissioning strategy... –Component level testing for CSC is good Are the dates for milestones for components firm? Confirm they are early enough for integration testing. –Delaying a full scale data challenge to actual beam may represent a risk

Software (3) Analysis Model needs additional work to show how pieces all connect together Analysis Model needs additional work to show how pieces all connect together –will the AOD be used, and give good performance? –role of tag database (vs trigger data) isn’t clear enough, relationship to streaming

Software Support Plans for software support are considerably more concrete (good!) Plans for software support are considerably more concrete (good!) How the 3 centers will be realized & staffed remains vague How the 3 centers will be realized & staffed remains vague Recommendation: Identify people, charge them with the task, and get them to organize their support activities to accomplish the goals: –develop process that will motivate support, and not overload those tasked with it –define / negotiate level of effort

Facilities Substantial progress on procurements and facility services (e.g. dCache, grid interfaces) and ramp-up of staff Substantial progress on procurements and facility services (e.g. dCache, grid interfaces) and ramp-up of staff Wonderful news on WAN upgrades Wonderful news on WAN upgrades Capacity and staff are on schedule Capacity and staff are on schedule FY2006 will be another significant year of increases FY2006 will be another significant year of increases

Facilities (2) While current scale of dCache is impressive, current utilization is modest and does not yet represent a significant test While current scale of dCache is impressive, current utilization is modest and does not yet represent a significant test Size of resources utilized through the grid interface averaged ~100 cpu’s, which is rather modest; need to work on larger stress tests Size of resources utilized through the grid interface averaged ~100 cpu’s, which is rather modest; need to work on larger stress tests

Facilities (3) BNL is enjoying significant benefit from co- location with RCF BNL is enjoying significant benefit from co- location with RCF –Need to document benefits, both to show the benefit to agencies, and to reveal potential risk if RCF goes away Budget does not include upcoming 30% increase in overhead. Budget does not include upcoming 30% increase in overhead. Recommendation: include the overhead in out-year planning.

Facilities (4) Long term planning for Tier 1 (space, etc.) needs additional attention Long term planning for Tier 1 (space, etc.) needs additional attention Current ESD size and simulation times are considerably above “nominal”, and may result in need for additional storage and compute resources, or a de-scoping of event rate. Current ESD size and simulation times are considerably above “nominal”, and may result in need for additional storage and compute resources, or a de-scoping of event rate. Recommendation: Make sure this issue is being addressed at all levels within International Atlas

Facilities (5) Procurement of 2008 resources with fy2008 funds implies that resources are not fully available January 1. Procurement of 2008 resources with fy2008 funds implies that resources are not fully available January 1. Recommendation: –Plans should be made to reflect the realities of procuring and commissioning multiple petabytes of disk and ~1000 nodes (plan for staged roll-out during Jan-April 2008)

Grids Formal involvement in OSG management is on a good track Formal involvement in OSG management is on a good track –expressions of support from US Atlas management, involvement of Torre There is some unease on both sides (OSG, US Atlas) about Atlas participation in OSG There is some unease on both sides (OSG, US Atlas) about Atlas participation in OSG Recommendation: Find success oriented approach (find a win-win) for US Atlas participation in OSG. OSG needs to deliver a net positive impact on the US LHC experiments early in LHC operations