analysis and outcomes of the grid-enabled engineering body scanner

1IPROMS July 2006

Analysis and Outcomes Analysis and Outcomes of the Grid-Enabled of the Grid-Enabled

Engineering Body ScannerEngineering Body Scanner

Kevin T W Tan, Prof. Philip J WithersMaterials Science Centre

School of MaterialsUniversity of Manchester

Daniela K Tsaneva, Michael W Daley, Prof. Nick J AvisSchool of Computer ScienceCardiff University& Welsh eScience Centre

2AHM September 2006

Contents● Background And Issues Of Concern● ISME Project (JISC) ● Existing ISME system● Experimental Steering Function● Data Management Function● Analysis and outcome of Experiment Steering Trials● Analysis and outcome of Data Management● Technical Challenges and Conclusions● Future Work

3AHM September 2006

Logical workflow of experiments

A complete experimental process on a single sampleA complete experimental process on a single sample

4AHM September 2006

Large Facility - Overview There are only a handful of International User Facilities available in Europe used by Materials Scientists for stress measurement:

● SRS, Daresbury Lab – (X-ray)● ISIS, Oxford – (Neutron)● ESRF, Grenoble, France – (Synchrotron)● Materials Science Centre, Manchester

ESRF, Grenoble Synchrotron, France

5AHM September 2006

Issues Of Concern

● Phone/email have limitations in visualising problem situations

● Experimental schedule is scripted during beam time (planning)

● Increasing data size leading to slower data processing● Remote from standard academic structure and analysis

tools● Human memory – what did we do? How did we do it?● Poorly annotated data and lack of detailed analysis● Lack of powerful, user-friendly visualisation routines● Lack of training & experience

6AHM September 2006

The Project:ISME - Integration & Steering of Multi-site Experiments

to Assemble Engineering Body Scans

● Main aim:● To develop and refine the experimental steering process

for distributed teams● Specific objectives:

● To achieve multi-site experiment steering, to discuss progress (Strategic Experimental Steering Function)

● Set up a medium for collaboratively managing, viewing and analysing data (Data Management Function)

● Improve the HCI issues within the shared-workspace between the dispersed sites

● Create guidelines for the use of remote steering and collaborative environments.

7AHM September 2006

Work in progress of the ISME project

● Evaluation of AG tools to assist communication between remotely located experimenters and teams at university/home

● Analysis of various web services required in a web portal to aid and assist experiment/data management

Providing a Collaborative Virtual Providing a Collaborative Virtual Research Environment is requiredResearch Environment is required

8AHM September 2006

Existing ISME system● Experimental Steering Function

● the need for a mechanism/medium to discuss progress, modify strategies, and to train and instruct students

● these aspects are provided by Access Grid (AG) functionality at the remote sites and universities/home

● Data Management Function ● the need for a mechanism/medium for collaboratively

analysing data and archiving data, collected elsewhere or during previous experiments.

● this need leads to embedding a set of well defined web services within a portal service framework using uPortal.

9AHM September 2006

Experimental Steering Function● Group-based face to

face contact, or at least voice to voice (via AG)

● A shared view of the experimental configuration (using AG)

● A common shared ‘tablet’ or ‘workspace’ to visualise results from the Data Management Function.

10AHM September 2006

Data Management FunctionThe following functions will be grid enabled:

● Virtual running of experiment prior to travel● Automated set-up and component mounting ● Access to data processing suite ● Data recording and archiving● Visualisation (either using local or remote resources

and collaborative, 1D, 2D, 3D and 4D)● Data co-registration and co-visualisation● Presentation and interrogation of assimilated 3D data

at remote sites (includes industry sites)

11AHM September 2006

Analysis and outcome of Experimental Steering Trials

● We have trialled AG focusing on how to configure it to optimise HCI and usability

● Virtual venue was established● AG was used mostly on

computers with good quality webcams

● Initial trial between Manchester School of Materials, Daresbury Laboraty, ISIS, Oxford and Cardiff University

12AHM September 2006

AccessGridCommon AG meeting tools include:● inSORS● AccessGrid Toolkit 2.4 (AGTk)● Videoconferencing Tools and Robus Audio Tools (vic and rat)● Virtual Rooms Videoconferencing System (VRVS)The choice between inSORS and AGTk was based on comparison of the following attributes:● Audio & Video communication network● Ease of Use and Available Features● Reliability ● Support of Hardware Tools● Firewall Network● Cost & Set-Up & Support

13AHM September 2006

Results of using inSORS• We have purchased a few copies of inSORS for

communication between experimental and broadband sites

• The results of using inSORS’s are satisfactory for materials scientists, particularly the features of “Shared Whiteboard” and “File Sharing”

• The ease of use of IGMeeting where a user can set-up a meeting with other inSORS users without the need for a pre-arranged meeting had been proven a great advantage over AGTk

14AHM September 2006

Analysis and outcome of Data Management

● Choice of web portal (JSR-168 and WSRP) - two web portals have been examined, GridSphere and uPortal, both developed in close conformance to the JSR 168 standards.

● GridSphere - GridSphere, based on our own and previous experience of our colleagues was unstable, the support and reliability of the software under Windows are not satisfactory.

● uPortal - uPortal proved stable for development of web services under Windows and Linux, has a well documented web site and supports JSR 168 and WSRP.

● Web Service for Remote Portlets (WSRP) – WSRP allows portlets to be exposed as Web services. The resulting web service will be user-facing and interactive among different web portals.

15AHM September 2006

Web Portlets for Materials Scientists

● We have conducted a series of structured interviews with material scientists following the completion of a questionnaire in order to ascertain which web services are required by the material scientists.

● The interviews have been carried out with members of differing roles and levels of experience, namely, a Professor, a project manager, a lecturer, an instrument scientist and three PhD students.

16AHM September 2006

Required Web Services● A proper communication with visualisation is required,

which will help to show the problem or the data.● There is a need for shared desktop/workspace for better

collaboration, especially when necessary to communicate problems and share data.

● A data archive is required, so that the users would be able to retrieve the documents and the data, to have an easy access to previous work, with the experiments recorded, the data and reports.

● A log book of the experiment is useful, very simple and easy to use, including only pictures and text.

● A catalogue tool to organise the data you transfer.

17AHM September 2006

Required Web Services● To maintain a framework to store all the data at the same

format, like metadata, XML, and have access to it.● To be able to analyse the data at the facilities.● The problem to send big data (GBytes) back home should

be overcome – e.g. by using a very fast data connection.● AG is required to be installed at the venue. It should be

already set up, easy to use, portable, as a package.● A project scheduling tool is useful to plan the experiment

and to keep a diary during it● To simulate the experiment in advance virtually, so the

new students can get used to the procedure and the facilities.

18AHM September 2006

Web Portlets for Materials Scientists

Based on the required web services, we have developed a prototype ISME web portal currently providing 14 services, some of which work and others are just mock up version. These services are grouped into 6 categories, as follows:

● Data related services● GridFTP● Remote Processing● Communication● AccessGrid● Miscellaneous

19AHM September 2006

Web services of the ISME portalThe working web services of the ISME portal are in the following categories:Data related services:● Data archiveData archive● File ManagerFile Manager ● Virtual Log BookVirtual Log Book Communication:● ImageImage ● VideoVideo● Shared DesktopShared Desktop ● Message BoardMessage Board Under construction - Access Grid, GridFTP and Remote Processing. Miscellaneous - CalendarCalendar, , Project SchedulingProject Scheduling and Virtual ExperimentVirtual Experiment, presented only as prototypes.

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Example of ISME Web Portal Services● Virtual Log-Book web service deployed on uPortal - provides the material

scientists with the possibility to add text and paste a graphical image stored in the clipboard

21AHM September 2006

Example of ISME Web Portal Services● Shared Desktop web service deployed on uPortal - can be used to

visualise results from the experiments via the multimedia resource

22AHM September 2006

User evaluation of the ISME portal

The ISME portal provided wide range of 19 web services initially, which have been demonstrated in front of the material scientists from the School of Materials, University of Manchester.

Group Service Strength Priority

Data Related Services

Data Archive Strong 5

File Manager Medum 2

Catalogue Tool Medium 2

Virtual Log Book Strong 2

  GridFTP Strong 5

 Remote Processing Medium 2

  Access Grid Strong 4

Communication

Image Medium 2

Video Weak -2

Chat Weak -2

Shared Desktop Strong 5

Message Board Medium 2

Slide Co-Browsing Neutral 1

SMS service Weak -1

Others Neutral 0

Miscellaneous

Calendar Neutral 1

Email Weak -1

Proejct Scheduling Weak -1

Virtual Experiment Medium 2

Web services evaluation

23AHM September 2006

User evaluation of the ISME portal

As a result from this analysis the following web services are recommended to be provided on the ISME web portal:●Shared Desktop●Data Archive●Access Grid●GridFTP●Virtual Log Book●Message Board●Image●Remote Processing

Priority of the web services Data Archive

File Manager

Catalogue Tool

Virtual Log Book

GridFTP

Remote Processing

Access Grid

Image

Video

Chat

Shared Desktop

Message Board

Slide Co-Browsing

SMS service

Others

Calendar

Email

Proejct Scheduling

Virtual Experiment

24AHM September 2006

User evaluation of the ISME portalSome of the web services need to be improved, for example: ● Virtual Log Book would require time stamps on the experiments as an automatic feature to provide a historical record of actions.● Data Archive need to be merged with the Catalogue tool to reduce replication within the web portal.● The Calendar service must be linked to the experiments, allocated by the experiment at facility and should be made public to allow other colleagues to view timetables.● Overlap between some of the services has been identified● There are some irrelevant services for the experimenters, such as Chat, Email and Video.

25AHM September 2006

Technical Challenges and Conclusions

● Difficulties with installation and using open source applications, lack of stability (GridSphere)

● Problems with integrating legacy applications into the open source web portal (AccessGrid, GridFTP)

● Problems with deploying new web services on the portal (e.g. applet security, remote applications etc.)

● There is a need to improve the GUI of the portal● Some web services require additional

functionalities and need to be redeveloped and redeployed on the portal

26AHM September 2006

Future Work● Our aim is to exploit and customise existing tools so that the

scientists can use them seamlessly and effectively in undertaking experiments.

● So far we have undertaken a small pilot study based around two experimental facilities and one extended research team.

● This project will be expanded to a wider range of users with assessment criteria to evaluate the prototype portal and services.

● We are planing a full test-drive of our AG tools and Web portal on the Daresbury 16.3 beamline using public access users.

● We will also examine the possibility of transferring the approach to the new Diamond Light Source near Oxford.

● We are collaborating with Manchester Computing to develop an AG Meeting Notifications tools (based on vic&rat).

● We are looking for social scientists to assist with the next phase of development - VRE2

27AHM September 2006

Acknowledgement