1. GridPP4 Oversight Committee Meeting 4th February 2010
Prof. David Britton GridPP Project leader
University of Glasgow
David Britton, University of Glasgow
IET, Oct 09

2. GridPP Oversight Committee
Context
The LHC has starting and is likely to run throughout 2010 and 2011 before a significant break. This covers GridPP3  GridPP4
Computing is required, as much as the detectors and the machine, in order to extract the physics. Collaborative and Competitive environment.
GridPP has a responsibility and an obligation to deliver to the UK and an international community.
The EU backdrop is complex; but will start to come into focus over the next few months.
The UK context is responsive to the European developments and is highly regarded:
UK efforts on federation and sharing of compute resources have been focused around regional grids, the National Grid Service, and the GridPP project. These efforts have been highly successful, […] Looking forward, we recommend that these efforts, including enhanced capacity and function of distributed storage, be sustained and expanded. Draft Report, RCUK International Review of E-Science 2009.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

3. GridPP Oversight Committee
Proposal Structure
WP-A: Infrastructure and manpower at a national Tier-1 centre;
WP-B: Infrastructure and manpower at the UK Tier-2 sites;
WP-C: Grid Deployment and Operations and Support;
WP-D: Experiment-specific technical support;
WP-E: Management team;
WP-F: Impact Plan (Economic Impact, Knowledge Transfer and Outreach)
WP-G: Travel and other costs.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

4. GridPP Oversight Committee
Project Overview
In December we were requested to reduce the project by 20% - difficult and complex in the midst of the 12-weeks we had to write this proposal. This table represents a balance of many constraints and tensions – must not overlook the fact that this is a 20% de-scoped project.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

5. Hardware Requirements
Chamonix 2010
UK Collaboration sizes
LHC Schedule
Global Resource Requirements
UK Resource Requirements
Experiment Computing Models
UK Resource Request
Hardware Costings
Scrutiny by C-RSG, CRRB,
LHCC.
Experience with real data
A complex and evolving situation requiring constant management. Historically we have seen the integrated requirements are reasonably “good-and-improving” estimates of actual needs.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

6. GridPP Oversight Committee
WP-A: Tier-1
Central argument:
Currently using 26.6 FTE to run the Tier-1 (18 GridPP funded).
International survey in 2006 estimated around 26 FTE needed for a Tier-1 the size of RAL.
We have reduced this number by 10% (in response to cuts) and bid for 20 (GridPP) (STFC) FTE for GridPP4.
Tier-1 meets international obligations signed up to by STFC.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

7. GridPP Oversight Committee
WP-B: Tier-2
Central Argument
Tier-2s are now as vital as Tier-1. They also meet international obligations AND they are essential for analysis (ATLAS + CMS) for UK physicists.
Currently 21 FTE funded by GridPP (13 + 4) and EGEE (4). Plan had been to increase to around 27 FTE reflecting this increased importance as data arrives (details not agreed with CB before cuts imposed but working models showed 27.2 FTE).
Have reduced this number by 23% (in response to cuts) and bid for 21 (GridPP) and hope for 2 (EGI).
Strategy agreed by CB: 10 ATLAS and 5-CMS focused posts supporting Group Analysis Sites that meet international obligations (++). Six other posts provide general cover for UK analysis and simulation (all experiments), and provide local support to as many additional sites as possible.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

8. GridPP Oversight Committee
Tier-2 Manpower
Distribution is not the status-quo (hard decisions have been made).
Tries to preserve and promote excellence in the face of increased demands and the 20% cuts.
Politically highly charged; now agreed by the institutes and the experiments.
Maximizes support and engagement whilst ensuring we deliver to ATLAS and CMS.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

9. GridPP Oversight Committee
The EGI/NGI Structure
European Framework-7 proposals
GridPP operates the largest scientific Grid in the UK and has a vested interest in ensuring the UK NGI meets the needs of the large community we serve.
We have identified certain tasks that are absolutely required by GridPP and wLCG, which have wider UK applicability and would sensibly be done in close collaboration as part of a larger team within a UK NGI: Security, accounting, monitoring and some aspects of regional support.
We have used this as a way to optimize our manpower in these areas. Would need to be revisited if not complimented by other UK funding.
EGI.eu
HEP SSC
EMI
CUE
Looks like these will not proceed
UK NGI
6 – you’ll no doubt say what EGI.eu etc are: Framework 7 proposals.
GridPP
NGS
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

10. WP-C: Deployment/Operations/Support
1.5 FTE security team and 1.5 FTE GOC team: Needed by GridPP/wLCG but operated within the UK NGI it would lever NGS work in this area.
1 FTE GridPP Production Manager – coordinates GridPP Operations teams and ensures we deliver the services levels required by wLCG.
4 FTE Grid Support – focus exclusively on Data, which has consistently been identified as a difficult area. This is area of UK expertise, leadership and directly related to accessing the physics. Key competitive advantage. RCUK review of e-Sci:  “The GridPP group has developed considerable expertise in the methods and technology required for large-scale, distributed data management and analysis."
We have dropped/phased-out/transferred R-GMA, WLMS, network monitoring, security vulnerabilities and VOMS support work. Hard choices made to preserve excellence in the data area.
0.2 FTE is high-level network liaison in the UK and internationally. Will ensure OPN operation for T0-T1 and T1-T1 links. 0.5 FTE for support of GridSite security toolkit (embedded in gLite and web-sites).
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

11. WP-D: Experiment Specific Support
Problem
All continue from GridPP3; all, except the last post, were bolted on to GridPP3 to address the “credibility gap” when no RG application-support posts were funded. These posts ARE (and thus define) the boundary between Grid and Experiment.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

12. GridPP Oversight Committee
WP-E: Management
Reduced by ~15% to 3.0FTE
Project leader (0.75)
Project manager (1.00)
Collaboration Chair (particular responsibility for Tier-2s) (0.25)
Technical Director (particular responsibility for data) (0.25)
User Board Chair (covers LHC and non-LHC liaison) (0.25)
Deputy Project Leader/RAL Management/International integration with wLCG (0.5).
Experienced team; mitigation of single-point-of-failure risk; 375 PMB meetings over last 8.5 years.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

13. GridPP Oversight Committee
WP-F: Impact
Funding agency priority – long track record in GridPP:
From RCUK review of e-science: “…the investment in GridPP led to the establishment of the start-up companies imense and iLexIR at Cambridge (Camtology). GridPP/ATLAS/LHCb developed the Ganga interface, as well as Econophysica (mathematical models for commodity trading) at QMUL, with access to resources at Total Oil (geoscience research) from Aberdeen.
And:
There is likely to be a substantial economic impact [in saving] lost work days as a result of the cure for bird-flu, in which GridPP resources played a major role; as is true for their contribution in 2008 to the discovery of three families of molecules that could be effective against the malaria parasite.
Request is for 1-FTE to build on this success. Currently in discussion on developing Impact activities in conjunction with external partners. Funding of the CUE proposal is now unlikely so need to re-examine links to the EU and collaborative approaches in the UK.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

14. GridPP Oversight Committee
Financial Summary
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

15. GridPP Oversight Committee
Risks and Contingency
Work in progress…
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee

16. GridPP Oversight Committee
Finally…
I would like to recognise the work of the PMB in making such astonishingly good progress in developing the GridPP4 proposal in a very short, and busy, period.
I would like to thank the wider community (the CB and other individuals) for constructive comments and accepting sometimes difficult decisions.
I would like to invite the Oversight Committee to help us further improve our proposal.
David Britton, University of Glasgow
GridPP Oversight Committee