Server Configuration

We will use a two server machines to isolate the database from the web server ensuring maximum performance and stability.

Web Server
The web server will be a Silicon Graphics Inc. Challenge machine with two 150 MHz processors, 64 megabytes of RAM, FDDI, ATM, HIPPI, and ethernet interfaces, and 42 gigabytes of disk space; Netsite web server, Perl5 web scripts.

Database Server
The database server will be Oracle Version 7.0 database server running on an IBM RS/6000 with a 55 MHz Power2 processor, 128 megabytes of RAM, FDDI and ethernet interfaces, and 10 gigabytes of disk space. We use Oracle's web interface technology, and full text search tools. The database server will run on an NPAC machine with the above configuration for the first three months of development. A production machine will be dedicated to this project for the remainder of the project, approximately nine months, when the production server moves to Carrier in-house facilities. This standalone configuration with an Oracle license costs approximately $130K.

The web server and database server will both be located at NPAC for to support performance, maintaince, advanced development goals. NPAC is near Carrier providing easy access by the Carrier web team.

Advanced Web Capabilities

At the Northeast Parallel Architectures Center (NPAC) at Syracuse University, researchers are developing and deploying Advanced Web Technologies that will transform the Web into a World Wide Virtual Machine (WWVM). This new, pervasive computing environment will

integrate computing and communications and information
be supported by virtual corporations of software and technology developers from large and small companies, universities and research centers around the world
be globally distributed, platform-independent and constantly growing in functionality.

The web will provide unprecedented compute power, access and capabilities for business and society.

Whether used on public networks (i.e. the Internet) or private corporate networks, today's Web Technologies are beginning will soon form a virtual operating system for a Web of information and services -- a "WebWindows". Using advanced web technologies and the windowing environment provided by Web browsers, businesses will develop systems that go beyond simple information exchange and enter into a new realm of collaboration, knowledge-creation and interactivity.

NPAC is a leader in this development.

NPAC has unique expertise in scientific computing, high-speed networking, and parallel and distributing processing. NPAC is positioned to develop enabling technologies and applications that will dramatically transform the the World Wide Web (and private Web networks, as well) into a powerful virtual computer, including:

Training and continuing education on Web services

linking databases to the Web
Web search technologies
productivity tools for the Web
overview curricula on the future of Web technologies

Research and development activities

NPAC has active research and development in the Overall Integration of Web Technologies to create a complete WebWindows environment. Specific efforts include:

Tools for WebWindows: for building and managing a distributed virtual machine, including WebWork (network management), HyperWorld Manager (file management), HyperWorld Navigator, and WebMail
Scripting Languages, such as Java, Perl, and NPAC's own WebScript and MOVIE
Markup Languages, such as VRML and HTML
Web-top Productivity Tools (word processing, databases, publishing)
Web DBMS Integration (including parallel databases, such as Oracle)
Web-based GroupWare and collaboration systems such as WebFlow for project management
Multimedia-on-Demand (ie. VOD) services through Web Interfaces
Web Integration of High Performance Computing
High-Speed Networking (ATM, ISDN, etc.)

Major NPAC Projects
NPAC is creating and customizing technologies for key applications such as business enterprise systems, electronic commerce, education, training and development, and distributed information systems for health care and internal corporate use. Examples of major projects include:

The Living Textbook: combines Web Technologies, Digital Image Databases, Multimedia-on-Demand, Parallel Processing of GIS data, High Performance Multimedia Servers, and ATM networking to prototype the Education Information Infrastructure of the future in New York State K-12 schools.
A Telemedicine Project: provides a SUNY Health Science Center with a high performance network for neuropathology diagnosis from remote sites, distance learning for medical professional and experimentation in medical video conferencing (via ATM and ISDN connections)
VASTNET (Video Archive Server Technology: creates a prototype video "wire service" and archive system for CNN with Syracuse University Newhouse School of Communications using a Web interface customized for news professionals to query a digital video archive over a high performance ATM network
A Physics 106- Science for the 21st Century: has course modules being constucted entirely as web pages. These include Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), Mind - Machine, and Pseudoscience/Paranormal/Skepticism.