Full HTML for

Basic foilset Master of Overview of NII and Web Technology for NII ASOP Review at Langley

Given by Geoffrey C. Fox at NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP on July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. Foils prepared July 23,1995
Outside Index Summary of Material

This overview was part of a NASA sponsored workshop at Langley involving MADIC (Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design Industrial Consortium) Team 2, NASA, Georgia Tech, Rice and NPAC.
This reported on initial conclusions on requirements for and value of NII technology in ASOP (Affordable Systems Optimization Process) -- a novel approach to Multidisciplinary Optimization for aircraft and other complex system design.
ASOP intrinsically involves world wide collaboration between several large aerospace corporations and tens of thousands of suppliers and so the NII can have major value both for supporting collaboration between people and for supporting the thousands of linked optimizations -- each involving several different programs.
We stress the rapid evolution of the Web and the ability of Web Technology to be applied to Enterprise Inforemation Systems such as that required to manage ASOP.
MADIC companies involved include Rockwell, General Motors, Northrop-Grumman-Vought, Lockheed-Martin and General Electric.

Table of Contents for full HTML of Master of Overview of NII and Web Technology for NII ASOP Review at Langley

 Denote Foils where Image Critical
Denote Foils where HTML is sufficient
1 An Overview of The National Information Infrastructure
for Industry with Special Attention to Manufacturing
-- Presentation to ASOP
NII Requirements Workshop
2 Abstract of NII for ASOP Presentation
3 Architecture of Web Software
4 Some Recent Web Developments
5 Web Application Software Vision
6 Some Relevant NII Services-I
7 Some Relevant NII Services-II
8 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- HealthCare and Telemedicine
9 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Education
10 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Society
11 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Business (Enterprise Systems)
12 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Defence and Crisis Management
13 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Collaboratory
14 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Manufacturing of Complex Systems
15 ASOP and Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design(MAD)
16 Overall Base Structure for ASOP Technology Demonstrations
17 ASOP Infrastructure ASOPnet Requirements
18 ASOP Technology Demonstrations -- NII Services

Outside Index Summary of Material

HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 1 An Overview of The National Information Infrastructure
for Industry with Special Attention to Manufacturing
-- Presentation to ASOP
NII Requirements Workshop

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
July 26 NASA Langley
Geoffrey C. Fox
NPAC
Syracuse University
111 College Place
Syracuse
NY 13244-4100
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 2 Abstract of NII for ASOP Presentation

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
This overview was part of a NASA sponsored workshop at Langley involving MADIC (Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design Industrial Consortium) Team 2, NASA, Georgia Tech, Rice and NPAC.
This reported on initial conclusions on requirements for and value of NII technology in ASOP (Affordable Systems Optimization Process) -- a novel approach to Multidisciplinary Optimization for aircraft and other complex system design.
ASOP intrinsically involves world wide collaboration between several large aerospace corporations and tens of thousands of suppliers and so the NII can have major value both for supporting collaboration between people and for supporting the thousands of linked optimizations -- each involving several different programs.
We stress the rapid evolution of the Web and the ability of Web Technology to be applied to Enterprise Inforemation Systems such as that required to manage ASOP.
MADIC companies involved include Rockwell, General Motors, Northrop-Grumman-Vought, Lockheed-Martin and General Electric.
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 3 Architecture of Web Software

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
Application Specific NII Specific Services for
  • Education
  • HealthCare
  • Commerce
  • Manufacturing etc.
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 4 Some Recent Web Developments

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
WebMagic -- HTML editor which essentially integrates server and Netscape client on a single computer for fast client stand-alone editing.
VRML which is a 3D data structure which could be used in display of ASOP physical artifacts. It is based on open subset of SGI Inventor database technology. VRML viewers are just coming out
JAVA has just been released by a group in Sun and in some ways competes with VRML (viewers). It is a Client technology which includes a C++ subset interpreter allowing clients to spawn processes called Applets. This makes clients "intelligent" and largely indistinguishable in functionality with servers.
Note future Web Architecture will be Server-Server. Not Client-Server.
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 5 Web Application Software Vision

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
A Set of Application domains and each with its own natural (interpreted) language manipulating domain-specific data structures. WebScript links the domains together
Examples are:
  • PERL for world of Text (PERL includes C(++), UNIX shell and text processing Awk and Sed capabilities)
  • JAVA for constructing browsers
  • VRML is data structure for 3D objects which are viewed by VRML viewers
  • WebHPF is Interpreted distributed High Performance Fortran used in CFD simulation, structures etc. (for ASOP)
  • Web AVS is Web implementation of AVS(Khoros) and can be used for coarse grain software integration
  • WebASOP is designed to translate between different disciplines (uses some version of PDES/STEP product specification data structures) and link all the 10,000 different programs/expert systems etcx.
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 6 Some Relevant NII Services-I

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
Desktop Publishing and Productivity Tools in WebWindows (WebTop Productivity/Publishing)
  • Webmail, WebWord, WebLOTUS123, WebPersuasion etc.
InfoVision: Delivery on Demand of Information from:
  • Digital archives of latest CNN, Reuters and network video
  • 100,000 hours of archives of video from last few years requiring some 100 terabyte of storage
  • Simulations of expected lake effect snow storm in Syracuse
  • This is storage, search and dissemination of multimedia Digital libraries
Commerce -- digital Cash and signatures with appropriate authentication and security. Enables both Web Commerce (shopping) and use of Web for proprietary information
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 7 Some Relevant NII Services-II

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
Interactive and "batch" Collaboration
  • Desktop Video conferencing to 3 dimensional graphic MOOs -- these lead to full televirtual interactions
  • White boards etc.
  • Collaboratories -- Geographically distributed Laboratories
  • Workflow and configuration controlled databases
  • This leads to Software Engineering on the Web
Metacomputing -- the collection of world wide computers as a coordinated (in subgroups of computers) computational engine (for simulation or information processing)
  • Includes control of remote medical and scientific instruments
  • Searching the world for Information
  • Running a coarse grain decomposed simulation between ASOP sites around world
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 8 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- HealthCare and Telemedicine

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
This is distributed databases for supporting cost effective healthcare with less fraud, better use of existing information for establishing care-plans etc
This is collaboration, remote instrument control for telemedicine
Could be full televirtuality for virtual-reality controlled remote surgery in battlefield or accident scenarios
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 9 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Education

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
This is basis of Virtual University and NII can be expected to be much more succesful than videosystems because interactive, collaborative, explorative and full multimedia information at student and teachers fingertips
Base of Distance Education is InfoVision for full interactive curricula
  • Note hyperlinking is as important as multimedia as allows student controlled exploration in richer fashion than old fashioned sequential books
  • Geographic Information Systems allows the general virtual field trip
Rich Collaboration environments including televirtual MOO's for student-student and student-teacher interactions
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 10 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Society

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
InfoVision is "successor" to TV with any multimedia information delivered on demand( choice from infinite number of channels)
Community Networks will define local societies and will have significant impact on local government
Shopping on the Web will include multimedia digital yellow pages , Commerce, online catalogs (which is InfoVision again) as well as perhaps powerful VR interfaces where you can try out new clothes and cars
Collaboration (gossip as in computer forums) could be an important and dominant use but perhaps not initial major one
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 11 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Business (Enterprise Systems)

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) such as approving and recording credit card transactions. This is a type of InfoVision and Commerce which is operational today
  • Has major security and reliability demands but undemanding on computer and network
Decision Support varies from fraud detection, inventory planning and market segmentation for optimizing shopping by mail
Decision support can vary from search of a single giant relational database to galaxy-wide search of heterogeneous distributed database
Workflow Support as in LOTUS Notes integrates Collaboration, Project Management and Distributed Databases. This supports ongoing distributed enterprise -- this is also essential in collaboratory
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 12 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Defence and Crisis Management

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
Critical feature is realtime, "come as you are" adaptive linked computers and people
Judgement support extends decision support into an "exploratorium" scenario as crises tend to be unexpected
Major need to search community and government databases for immediate information on resource location and availability etc. Metadata(summaries) essential
Collaboration between commander in field , specialized anchor desks (domain experts) and those in field.
User Interface essential as user will be tired and searching unfamiliar data
Geographical Information Systems and browsing multiple video sources (InfoVision again) will be critical as judgements will depend critically on spatial data.
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 13 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Collaboratory

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
This is future model for (inter)national distributed research
Rich Collaboration environment essential as collaborative research requires nontrivial person to person interactions
Searching distributed databases basis of much scholarly work (infoVision and Digital Library)
Metacomputing for multidisciplinary, multi-institutional simulations and for control and data storage and analysis from remote instruments whether satellites, telescopes, accelerators etc.
Distributed (people) Software Engineering support for production of distributed computing software
Needs workflow support as distributed enterprise
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 14 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Manufacturing of Complex Systems

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
Critical feature is closely integrated collaboration of very many people and computers requiring
Metacomputing Simulation and distributed database support as in Collaboratory
Workflow support including configuration management and central CAD databases
Rich collaboration environment to support distributed design decisions
Standards and Security to allow interlinking of people and software from different organizations
Key special requirement is distributed coordination
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 15 ASOP and Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design(MAD)

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
A set of manufacturing companies -- Rockwell International, Northrop Grumman, McDonnell Douglas, General Electric and General Motors is studying the NII implications for a particular MAD system "Affordable Systems Optimization Process" (ASOP)
Interesting parameters are that next major aircraft to be built could involve:
  • 6 major companies and 20,000 smaller supplier subcontractors
  • Number of engineers involved is about:
    • 50 at conceptual design
    • 200 at preliminary design
    • 2000 at final design
    • upto 10,000 in manufacturing and development
  • The design could involve upto 10,000 separate programs running in small linked clusters which vary from
    • Airflow simulation around plane to
    • expert system to plan location of inspection port to minimize maintenance costs
  • Critical is configuration management and system database
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 16 Overall Base Structure for ASOP Technology Demonstrations

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
ASOPnet -- physical network infrastructure -- presumably constructed from linking existing infrastructure from government and commercial sources
Needed general capabilities (WebWindows) of NII and
    • Generic NII Services
including some such as metacomputing and configuration control where ASOP has driving requirements
ASOP Information Infrastructure (AII) which are NII services tailored and presented for ASOP
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 17 ASOP Infrastructure ASOPnet Requirements

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
Link Collaboraters by communication system ASOPnet -- a microcosm of the NII
  • Industry Sites
  • Collaborating Universities -- Georgia Tech,Syracuse and ....
  • NASA and other key government sites
Use COTS (World wide Web) Software and Systems where-ever possible and so physical network should not have special features not supported by "Open NII"
Security (proprietary data) needs to be determined
Parts should have performance (ATM ) needed by high speed distributed applications
Appropriate database/storage and compute servers needed on ASOPnet
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared July 23,1995

Foil 18 ASOP Technology Demonstrations -- NII Services

From NASA/MADIC NII Requirements for ASOP Langley Review NASA/MADIC Langley Review on NII Requirements for ASOP -- July 26-27 1995 NASA Langley Virginia. *
Full HTML Index
Evaluate, Install, Maintain, Enhance as necessary WebWindows and base NII Services
Security -- special needs of large data transfer of proprietary information
Object and Database services including access, search, dissemination and especially configuration control
Collaboration services including linking of people, computation and databases in configuration controlled systems engineering environment
Metacomputing services linking many thousands of programs (with wrappers/agents to allow re-use of existing code) in distributed groups as needed for specific multi-disciplinary optimizations
Northeast Parallel Architectures Center, Syracuse University, npac@npac.syr.edu

If you have any comments about this server, send e-mail to webmaster@npac.syr.edu.

Page produced by wwwfoil on Wed Jan 21 1998