[AG-USERS] Funding model request

Cindy Sievers sievers at lanl.gov
Wed Mar 5 16:55:10 CST 2003


Hi Ed,

I am also very interested in this topic. This is also become somewhat of a 
big issue here at LANL as well.  While most of the interest is within the 
Advanced Computing division, other divisions and groups are starting to 
express interest.  One line of thinking is to turn over the Access Grid to 
the video/teleconferencing group and charge the same rates for AG 
participation as we do for a regular video/teleconference.  Personally, I 
don't think this is a good direction to take, since one of the major 
objectives of the AG is to promote informal spontaneous 
communications.  Also, with the introduction of AG2.0, we will be seeing 
more interactive sharing of resources (vizualizations, graphics, 
datasets).  The problem is that while the AG can be used only for 
meetings,  it has so much more potential.  If we start viewing the AG as 
only a tool to facilitate meetings then we lose the capacity to do all the 
other cool stuff.   We are looking at recharge rates, but the question 
arises - who do you charge?  If there is a joint collaboration between 
several groups here at LANL who wish to have an AG conference with 10-15 
other sites, who pays for the grid?  We could theoretically charge each 
participant by the hour, regardless of how many other people are in the 
group.....ick.  I think this would discourage AG usage.  I favor the model 
whereby the grid is paid for out of some sort of group overhead and what we 
provide is a service that may be used by any group or individual. I think 
this would promote expanded usage of the AG, not only for meetings and 
collaborations, but for shared resources and vizualization as well.   How 
do you charge for that type of service??? Then setting priorities is the 
issue......

At 11:07 AM 3/5/2003 -0800, Ed Ritenour wrote:
>Hello all
>
>We at Berkeley Lab are in the process of looking at various funding
>models to support lab wide use of our Access Grid room. Currently the
>room and operation is paid for and used mostly by Computing Sciences and
>we would like to promote its usefulness to other divisions and therefore
>looking at ways to share the expense. I am interested in how other
>institutions handle their operations. If you have a few moments could
>some of you provide information regarding AG operational funding for
>your sites. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
>
>Thanks
>Ed
>
>
>
>--
>Ed Ritenour
>Phone: 510-486-5754
>Data Communications/ Facilities                          Pager:
>510-539-1069
>Network & Telecommunications Department         Fax: 510-486-7000
>              Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
>              One Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. 94720
>                          MS 50E-101


============================================
Cindy Sievers           Los Alamos National Laboratory
sievers at lanl.gov        Group CCS-1 MS B287
tel:505.665.6602        Advanced Computing
fax:505.665.4939        Los Alamos, NM 87544
============================================




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