[AG-TECH] Question about AccessGrid small nodes

Mon May 11 00:30:01 CDT 2009

Tom,

You should have my report of these problems as well as log files from 
last november. I can dig them
up and resend if necessary. And it's not just me, others also have 
similar issues. I know Ben Green
at UK Manchester has similar issues.

-gurcharan

Thomas Uram wrote:
> Gurcharan:
>
> Can you elaborate this point for us so we can fix it before going to 
> 3.2 final?
>
>> We are running AG 3.1 b/c
>> 3.2beta breaks the mpeg4 and extended services that we need.
>
>
>
>
> On May 10, 2009, at 11:09 PM, Gurcharan S. Khanna wrote:
>
>> Cameron,
>>
>> Yes, it was me. The larger project is the RIT Global Collaboration 
>> Grid, which envisions
>> using the highest possible technology to create a single virtual 
>> space for all of RIT's sites.
>>
>> See http://rc.rit.edu/collaborationgrid.html for an overview.
>>
>> The current architecture for this distributed yet coordinated set of 
>> nodes is simply standard
>> AG nodes. To reduce maintenance and enable others to contribute with 
>> minimum cost and
>> headaches, I have been asked to move closer to an appliance model, 
>> where I would specify
>> the hardware and software exactly so that it would be guaranteed to 
>> work first time, every
>> time. While I have been reluctant to go in this direction, it's 
>> obviously the only way to get
>> the buy-in I need to move quickly and credibly to deploy the 
>> collaboration grid. (Actually,
>> I would like to go even further and develop a 'thin-client' ag node 
>> but that's another story...).
>>
>> So, we just ordered parts for ten little computers which balanced 
>> small form factor with cost
>> from NewEgg and GovConnection. Our original spec was to be able to 
>> send one DVTS
>> stream and receive at least five, using the extendedvideoservices in 
>> the access grid. We tested
>> the first one with this spec and it passed (except for the onboard 
>> GigE) so we ordered ten more
>> but with a PCI GigE card. However, we really probably want to do some 
>> H.264/Mpeg4 as well
>> but we need to run benchmarks for that still. Anticipating that we 
>> ordered five systems with a
>> dual core processor and five with a quad core processor to see what 
>> the difference would be.
>> The mpeg4 encoding has been quite intensive especially when you get 
>> up to 720 and 1080
>> resolutions so it's a real concern. We also required firewire ports 
>> for the DVTS. So far, we
>> have only run WindowsXP but intend to try out a linux as well. We are 
>> running AG 3.1 b/c
>> 3.2beta breaks the mpeg4 and extended services that we need.
>>
>> Here are the student-built computer specs:
>>
>> Motherboard, AMD 780G, Phenom FX, MATX, Max 8GB $82.00
>> DDR2, PCIEX16, PCIEX, 2PCI, GBE, Vid, Aud, SATA,RAID Asus Computer Intl.
>>
>> Processor, Phenom II X4 940 Black Edition 3GHz, 6MB L3 $240.00
>> Cache, 1800MHz FSB, Box AMD
>>
>> ATX Desktop Chassis, PSI300 PS, 4U, 1394, Black $60.00
>> In-win Developement
>>
>> 1GB PC2-6400 240-pin DDR2 SDRAM DIMM $11.25 (x4)
>> Kingston Technology Corp.
>>
>> Processor, Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 2.8GHz, 1MB L2 Cache, Box $73.00
>> AMD
>>
>> Intel Pro 1000 / GT - OEM Single $27.00
>>
>> 80GB WD Cavier Blue SATA Internal HD 8MB Cache, $36.00
>> 7200 RPM Western Digital
>>
>> For audio (when needed) we are standardizing on Phoenix Duet 
>> Executive USB echo
>> cancelling mics at $180 and for cameras, the cheapest firewire Sony, 
>> DCR-HC52 MiniDV
>> Handycam® Camcorder $249.99 List Price. Output display devices will 
>> vary with location
>> and could be LCD panels or projectors. Different locations will also 
>> affect the audio solution.
>> We don't have an inexpensive solution for a good, single mic echo 
>> canceller for a non-tabletop
>> venue.
>>
>> I'd be happy to elaborate on any of this and why we chose it and 
>> where we're going. It's
>> a somewhat moving target but we are trying to get something in place 
>> that will be adaptable
>> as well.
>>
>> -gurcharan
>>
>> PS RIT Venue on the ANL server is where you can see where we're at at 
>> any point in time. -gsk
>>
>>
>> Purvis, Cameron wrote:
>>>
>>> Hello, from Cameron at the University of Alabama!
>>>
>>>
>>> I’m sorry if I have this mixed up: I believe that, in the AccessGrid 
>>> Town Hall meeting Tuesday morning, that I heard about RIT building 
>>> out small AccessGrid nodes based on inexpensive desktop computers. I 
>>> couldn’t make out the name of the speaker well but I think it may 
>>> have been you. The vision was to link several rooms together with 
>>> standardized units all in a grid venue. That sounds like something 
>>> that could be a very good demonstration of the technology here in 
>>> Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It also sounds like something that would be fun 
>>> to observe as the community starts to play with the technology.
>>>
>>> If you guys are working on something like that – a sort of 
>>> standardized design for small nodes – I’d love to be in touch with 
>>> the right person to talk about that. This is something I’d like to 
>>> replicate here, and would appreciate the chance to collaborate with 
>>> RIT.
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>> -- 
>>>
>>> Cameron Purvis
>>>
>>> University of Alabama Office of Information Technology, Research
>>>
>>> ckpurvis at ua.edu <mailto:ckpurvis at ua.edu> (205) 348-4677
>>>
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> -------------------------
>> Gurcharan S. Khanna, Ph.D.
>> Director of Research Computing
>> Office of the Vice President for Research
>> http://rc.rit.edu
>>
>> Assistant Research Professor, Ph.D. Program
>> Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences
>> http://people.rit.edu/gskpop
>>
>> Director, Interactive Collaboration Environments Laboratory,
>> Center for the Advancing the Study of Cyberinfrastructure
>> http://icelab.rit.edu
>> ---
>> Rochester Institute of Technology
>> 1 Lomb Memorial Drive
>> Rochester, New York 14623-5603
>> Phone: 585-475-7504  ~  Cell: 585-451-8370
>> Email: gurcharan.khanna at rit.edu
>>
>

-- 
-------------------------
Gurcharan S. Khanna, Ph.D.
Director of Research Computing
Office of the Vice President for Research
http://rc.rit.edu

Assistant Research Professor, Ph.D. Program
Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences
http://people.rit.edu/gskpop

Director, Interactive Collaboration Environments Laboratory,
Center for the Advancing the Study of Cyberinfrastructure
http://icelab.rit.edu
---
Rochester Institute of Technology
1 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, New York 14623-5603
Phone: 585-475-7504  ~  Cell: 585-451-8370
Email: gurcharan.khanna at rit.edu