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GLOBAL foilset Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS

Given by Geoffrey C. Fox at ECS Faculty Retreat on 15 October 95. Foils prepared 12 October 1995
Abstract * Foil Index for this file See also color IMAGE

This talk described both the opportunity to teach the new emerging Information technologies and the opportunity to use these technologies to teach
Illustrations of the application of Technology to education include NPAC work using Java (WebFoil) and Databases as well as the collaborative enterprises KidsWeb, Living Schoolbook and Phy105/106
We surveyed the latest state of the Web and how it will be applied in a variety of applications from Business Enterprise Systems to Crisis Management
The Multimedia Master's degree and the corresponding Information track courses of computational science offer an excellent opportunity for ECS to provide attractive curricula of broad interest

Table of Contents for full HTML of Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS

1 Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS
2 Abstract for ECS (College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University) Presentation on Information Technology
3 Architecture of Web Software
4 Web Application Software Vision
5 Some Relevant NII Services-I
6 Some Relevant NII Services-II
7 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- HealthCare and Telemedicine
8 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Education
9 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Society
10 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Business (Enterprise Systems)
11 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Defence and Crisis Management
12 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Collaboratory
13 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Manufacturing of Complex Systems
14 ASOP and Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design(MAD)
15 Some Virtual University Activities Involving NPAC -- I
16 Some Virtual University Activities Involving NPAC -- II
17 Encoder neural network tutorial and simulation page
18 Overview of the Living Schoolbook Project
19 The Living Schoolbook Project Partners
20 Outside Partners of the Living Schoolbook Project
21 VASTNET -- NPAC, Newhouse School, University Electronic Media Services Collaboration
22 Comments on FLAG (Fiber Optic Link Across the Globe) and the Virtual University - I
23 Comments on FLAG (Fiber Optic Link Across the Globe) and the Virtual University - II
24 Fiber Link Across the Globe FLAG -- Topology
25 Role of Caching in the Virtual University -- I
26 Role of Caching in the Virtual University -- II
27 Role of Caching in the Virtual University -- III
28 Kidsweb Home Page and Table of Contents for Arts, Science
29 Astronomy and Space content - Combined picture of Jupiter with Comet Shoemaker-Levy9 fragments
30 What is Computational Science?
31 Program in Computational Science
Implemented within current academic framework
32 Program in Information Age Computational Science Implemented Within Current Academic Program
33 What we taught this Spring CPS600 --
"Technologies for Webwindows" --
The next generation (meta)Computing and Communications Environment
34 Proposed Interdisciplinary MultiMedia Master's Degree IMM
35 The 4 tracks of the IMM Master's Degree
36 Proposed Academic Schedule of IMM
37 Current Computational Science (CPS) Core Courses
38 Current Proposed CPS Core Courses -- Information Track
39 Education in a Box -- Initial Steps to Understand Web Based Education
40 Scope of Certificate in Computational Science
41 Some Current NII/Web Technologies -- I
42 Some Current NII/Web Technologies -- II
43 Some Technologies to be Integrated into the Web -- I
44 Some Technologies to be Integrated into the Web -- II
45 WebServers and InfoVision as an example of Opportunity for MPP's on the NII
46 Integration of Industry Sectors forming the NII
47 The Standard Scenario for HPCC and NII
48 NII Compute & Communications Capability in Year 2000 --> 2005
49 Ultimate Vision and Implementation of NII and InfoVision
50 What is a Web or HPMMCC Network Server ?
51 Visit of Hillary Clinton to Syracuse University April 5,1994 -- Medical Demonstration
52 Overall NII Integrating Vision
53 What is WebWindows ?
54 HPCC needs a large enough market to sustain technology (systems and software)
55 Critical Emerging Web Technologies
56 Figure 6:Impressive early Java demo (fromBrown Univ.) -- sorting algorithms
57 Java Character Recognition Demo -- The Letter G
58 Figure 9: Example of use of VRML -- Black Hole Collision Diagram (NCSA)
59 Emerging Higher Level Web Integration Concepts -- I
60 NPAC WebTools-I (Basic WebWindows Functionality)
61 NPAC WebTools-II
62 Example of WebTool External Editor Interface -- vi and emacs
63 Example of Spell Check Feature in WebTools
64 Illustrative Screendump for WebTools (Spring '95):E-Mail Functionality, Implementation
65 Web Productivity Tools and Virtual Software Laboratory (VSL)
66 Figure 3: WebTools CASE tools sample manual page Including hyper-source code
67 Weak Points in Web Technology
68 Weak Points in Database Technology
69 By integrating a database server into Web technology, a Web server can be enhanced with:
70 By integrating Web into database technology, a Database server can be enhanced with:
71 Web to Oracle Interface Screen 10: Query by Subject --2
72 WebFlow Paradigm
73 Figure 7: Java demo (NPAC) -- WebFlow Editor prototype
74 Software Project Manager -- Example of Agent Middleware
75 Figure 8: Java demo (NPAC) -- WebFlow application prototype: Project Manager

This table of Contents Abstract

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Foil 1 Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * See also color IMAGE
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ECS Faculty Retreat Oct 13,1995
Geoffrey Fox
NPAC and ECS
111 College Place
Syuracuse NY 13244-4100
HELP! * GREEN=global GREY=local HTML version of GLOBAL Foils prepared 12 October 1995

Foil 2 Abstract for ECS (College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University) Presentation on Information Technology

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * See also color IMAGE
Full HTML Index
This talk described both the opportunity to teach the new emerging Information technologies and the opportunity to use these technologies to teach
Illustrations of the application of Technology to education include NPAC work using Java (WebFoil) and Databases as well as the collaborative enterprises KidsWeb, Living Schoolbook and Phy105/106
We surveyed the latest state of the Web and how it will be applied in a variety of applications from Business Enterprise Systems to Crisis Management
The Multimedia Master's degree and the corresponding Information track courses of computational science offer an excellent opportunity for ECS to provide attractive curricula of broad interest
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Foil 3 Architecture of Web Software

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * Critical Information in IMAGE
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Application Specific NII Specific Services for
  • Education
  • HealthCare
  • Commerce
  • Manufacturing etc.
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Foil 4 Web Application Software Vision

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * See also color IMAGE
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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.
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Foil 5 Some Relevant NII Services-I

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * See also color IMAGE
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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
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Foil 6 Some Relevant NII Services-II

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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
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Foil 7 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- HealthCare and Telemedicine

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * See also color IMAGE
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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
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Foil 8 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Education

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

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * See also color IMAGE
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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
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Foil 10 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Business (Enterprise Systems)

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * See also color IMAGE
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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
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Foil 11 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Defence and Crisis Management

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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.
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Foil 12 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications -- Collaboratory

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * See also color IMAGE
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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
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Foil 13 Use of NII Services in Particular Applications
-- Manufacturing of Complex Systems

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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
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Foil 14 ASOP and Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design(MAD)

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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
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Foil 15 Some Virtual University Activities Involving NPAC -- I

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Living Schoolbook -- Prototype of K-12 Educational Environment of year 2000
  • ATM delivery to K-12 schools from NPAC's Multimedia Information Servers
  • Collaboration between NYNEX, State Schools, NPAC and Syracuse's School of Education
HPDC95 Tutorial and Other Computational Science Courses CPS600, CPS615
  • On-line Presentations
  • Links to other documents such as Parallel Computing Works
  • On-line Demonstrations of WebTools, Java, Parallel databases, Web Search etc.
  • On-line homework in linked CPS600 Course Server
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Foil 16 Some Virtual University Activities Involving NPAC -- II

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Physics 105/106 -- Science for the 21st Century (for non-Scientists) -- Some course modules built around Multimedia Information Systems
  • SETI --Search for Extra Terrestial Intelligence
  • Mind and Machines -- Involved on-line neural network simulations
  • PseudoScience and the Paranormal
  • Scientific Literacy, Imaging and Evolutionism versus Creationism under development
This hyperlinked material accounts for about 10% Phy 105, 20% Phy 106 and expect to increase if success continues
  • Need caching locally and high speed local networks to support the 167 students in each class
  • Major Physics department commitment -- 3 faculty developing the 3 modules
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Foil 17 Encoder neural network tutorial and simulation page

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Foil 18 Overview of the Living Schoolbook Project

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The Living Schoolbook is a New York State funded Initiative to create K-12 educational applications that exploit leading information technologies
Living Schoolbook Base Educational Services are:
  • Interactive Multimedia Geographic Information System -- Virtual Field Trip --
  • New York State The Interactive Journey
  • Video Information on Demand
  • Cached Internet Resources
  • Telecollaboration in the classroom
  • Realistic (HPCC) Simulations on demand
Living Schoolbook Leverages Information Technologies
  • Terabyte Databases
  • Parallel Supercomputers
  • Interactive Multimedia
  • High Speed Wide Area Networks
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Foil 19 The Living Schoolbook Project Partners

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The Project Team
  • Syracuse University School of Education
  • Columbia's Teachers College
  • NYNEX
  • NPAC
Upstate Project Schools
  • Fowler High School, Syracuse NY
  • Rome Free Academy, Rome NY
  • Whitesboro Middle School, Whitesboro NY
Downstate (New York City) Project Schools
  • PS126: The Ralph Bunch School
  • The Dalton School
  • School for the Physical City
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Foil 20 Outside Partners of the Living Schoolbook Project

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askERIC Educational Database for teachers with consultation
The Discovery Channel -- Video Content Provider
NewsBank -- Text Content Provider
Reuters News Service
Syracuse Language Systems -- Learn Foreign Languages on Demand
TravelVenture -- Interactive travel information on Demand
US Air Force Rome Laboratory -- InfoVision technologies
WorldView Corp. : Interactive Client-Server Geographic Information System
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Foil 21 VASTNET -- NPAC, Newhouse School, University Electronic Media Services Collaboration

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Video and Server Technology Network is prototype of Wire Service of future using Web Technology to service Mass Communications Industry
Partner with this field (Newhouse School) to find out how to author on-line video and other multimedia material
NYNET ATM network extended internally to allow linkage of NPAC to Newhouse School of Public Communications and University Electronic Media Production Unit
Faculty and students -- the multimedia digital journalists of the future will use:
  • Archives stored on huge computers browsed at low (VHS) resolution but stored (delivered by wire server) at broadcast quality.
  • Browsing also using text interfaces (index to a clip of average length 15 seconds)
Study Integration digital editing (AVID) technology of media field with digital web and powerful computer technology.
Industrial partners from traditional print and analog video fields
  • CNN and Reuters
  • Manhattan Transfer Edit -- Video Post Production Company
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Foil 22 Comments on FLAG (Fiber Optic Link Across the Globe) and the Virtual University - I

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FLAG is an enterprise in which NYNEX Network Systems Company is a major (roughly 40%) investor.
Current fiber link from U.K. to Japan (via Africa) is being constructed at an approximate $1.4B cost
Natural Strategy is for Web Servers in U.S.A.. to deliver educational material via FLAG to Africa and Far East
This would set up hierarchically as:
  • U.S.A.. to first offramps: Coastal Countries (in Africa)
  • Coastal Countries distribute information in cascade fashion to rest of continent
  • Download bulk educational material ONCE (standard caching scenario)
  • Use FLAG Interactively for exploration and for student-teacher Interaction
Real-Time Compression critical for interactive use of FLAG as lines are costly -- note Internet is free but needs compression as overloaded ....
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Foil 23 Comments on FLAG (Fiber Optic Link Across the Globe) and the Virtual University - II

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Many students from these countries come to the U.S.A.. now but ...
  • There are many more who presumably would like a (U.S.A..) education but cannot afford trip and tuition.
  • The developing countries are setting up their own educational infrastructure which could be more attractive than trip to U.S.A..
In Virtual University, one sets up a partnership between U.S.A.. and overseas University where key curricula and its delivery are provided over GII (Global Information Infrastructure of which FLAG is one example)
High-end PC's should be included as possible Web server for Africa even we use SP-2, multi-processor SGI etc. as server in U.S.A.. University
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Foil 24 Fiber Link Across the Globe FLAG -- Topology

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A NYNEX Joint Venture
This shows fiber draping Africa with coast off ramps
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Foil 25 Role of Caching in the Virtual University -- I

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Caching can either be teacher driven (preselect material) or student driven as in computer paging
  • As education naturally has groups (a class) of over 20 students browsing related material one can expect caching to be very effective
Caching helps with both bandwidth and ensuring students browse relevant and appropriate material
  • Experiments by NASA Langley find that 95% of material accessed by students is found in Cache -- implies that 28.8kbaud connection purchased by the school "acts" like a dedicated T1 line
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Foil 26 Role of Caching in the Virtual University -- II

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Datamine the WWW for resources relevant to K-12 Classroom
  • Kidsweb is our initial selection based on teaching experience at NPAC to eighth graders in Syracuse Area
  • This is NPAC's most popular internet access point
Selection by teachers provides high-value materials, efficiency in teacher preparation time and K-12 appropriate material
  • Note many schools do not provide Internet access due to (perception that) much inappropriate material
  • Teacher selection produces structure to students roaming Internet
Could be useful to produce selections on CDROM for targeted application areas.
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Foil 27 Role of Caching in the Virtual University -- III

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We will need caching anyway for both the Global University and indeed general hierarchical Web Server/ InfoVision scenario
Comparison with InfoVision and the Entertainment Analogy:
Suppose Jurassic Park VI is released on the Hollywood NII Server
Without Caching -- perhaps 20 million people will videodial Hollywood to get their simultaneous showings at 1.5 megabits/second each
  • Need Cross-section bandwidth across the US of about 15,000 gigabits/sec
With Caching, average person will find new movie cached on local server only a few optical fiber miles away. Will reduce needed bandwidth by about a factor of 100 as must travel about 15 miles not 1500 miles to get movie.
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Foil 28 Kidsweb Home Page and Table of Contents for Arts, Science

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See electronically for actual home page
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Foil 29 Astronomy and Space content - Combined picture of Jupiter with Comet Shoemaker-Levy9 fragments

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Foil 30 What is Computational Science?

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Computational Science is an interdisciplinary field that integrates computer science and applied mathematics with a wide variety of application areas that use significant computation to solve their problems
Includes the study of computational techniques
  • Science and Engineering - Grand Challenges
  • Society and Business - National Challenge
Includes the study of new algorithms, languages and models in computer science and applied mathematics required by the use of high performance computing and communications in any (?) important application
  • At interface of (applied) computer science and applications
Includes computation of complex systems using physical analogies such as neural networks and genetic optimization.
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Foil 31 Program in Computational Science
Implemented within current academic framework

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Foil 32 Program in Information Age Computational Science Implemented Within Current Academic Program

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Foil 33 What we taught this Spring CPS600 --
"Technologies for Webwindows" --
The next generation (meta)Computing and Communications Environment

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World Wide Web basics : HTTP,MIME, servers,clients
PERL4 and object-oriented features in PERL5(to be finished)
Wavelet and Other Compression Technologies
Collaboration Technologies from MBONE to CLI
ATM Networks with comparison with ISDN and traditional LAN
Parallel Relational Databases and Web Integration
Thread based Communication Environments
Video servers and network management for good quality
Parallel Web Servers (to be finished)
Advanced Web Technologies -- agents, VRML, Java (to be finished)
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Foil 34 Proposed Interdisciplinary MultiMedia Master's Degree IMM

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IMM is a Joint Program Set Up Between
  • School of Education
  • Engineering and Computer Science
  • College of Visual and Performing Arts
  • Newhouse School of Public Communications
  • School of Information Studies IST
IMM could be cornerstone of proposed "Information Initiative"
IMM degree involves 36 units -- 12 courses of which 6 are required
Courses are divided into Four Tracks
6 required Courses are:
  • Proseminar: Overview of Field with 1-2 lectures per topic
  • 1 core course from each of 4 tracks
  • Capstone experience == project/thesis like activity done in teams
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Foil 35 The 4 tracks of the IMM Master's Degree

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Track1: Multimedia Systems and Tools -- this is
    • ECS/IST area
Track 2: Multimedia Design and Applications -- this is
    • Newhouse/IST/Education
Track 3: Aesthetics and Ethics in Multimedia -- this is
    • VPA
Track 4: Management and Evaluation of Multimedia --
    • this is Newhouse/IST/Education
Each track has a core required course and a set of introductory and advanced electives
Student must take 6 electives -- one of which must be in each track
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Foil 36 Proposed Academic Schedule of IMM

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Electives will be offerred at various times but basic cycle is summer to summer (1.3 year time)
Summer: Proseminar
Fall: Core course for Track 1: Multimedia Systems
    • and Tools
Fall: Core course for Track 2: Multimedia Design
    • and Applications
Spring: Core course for Track 3: Aesthetics and Ethics
    • in Multimedia
Spring: Core course for Track 4: Management and
    • Evaluation of Multimedia
Summer: Capstone Experience
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Foil 37 Current Computational Science (CPS) Core Courses

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SImulation Track -- Graduate
  • CPS615 Overview of Simulation Track Computational Science
  • CPS713 Case Studies in Simulation Applications of Computational Science
Masters in Computational Science built around these core copurses CPS615,713
Simulation Track -- Undergraduate
  • CPS 311,312,313,314 Core Material and Laboratory with topics similar to CPS615/713
  • Senior Project CPS 451
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Foil 38 Current Proposed CPS Core Courses -- Information Track

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CPS 401/601 IMM 601 Multimedia Systems and Tools -- Core course for Track 1 of IMM degree
CPS 403/703 Computational Science Elective: 1 Lecture a week -- rest Laboratory -- elective for IMM
CPS 406/606 Introduction to Information technologies and Systems -- designed as elementary elective for IMM
CPS 616 Overview of Information Track Computational Science -- advanced elective for IMM
CPS 714 Case Studies in Information Applications of Computational Science -- advanced elective for IMM
"Web Technology"/Information Track of Computational Science Masters built around CPS 616,703,714
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Foil 39 Education in a Box -- Initial Steps to Understand Web Based Education

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Certificate in Computational Science offered at Peking University and Harbin Institute of Technology Spring 1996 is a prototype of Syracuse University (ECS/NPAC) based extension school
As Internet Connections to China are not guaranteed to be great(!) we will use Web Technology but assume that Electronic Course material will be packaged at NPAC(SU) in a Pentium PC running WindowsNT and Java
  • Possibly Oracle and Digital Video Server Support as well
  • Possibly RealAudio or similar digital audio
This will be updated in batch mode by Syracuse -- China Connection
Students in China will Interact with mentors in China and with NPAC via Internet (web and email)
Project designed by Fox,Leskiw(NPAC), Xiaoming Li(Harbin and Peking visiting NPAC)
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Foil 40 Scope of Certificate in Computational Science

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Graduate Students -- initially 5 to 10 at each of 2 University
4 Courses -- each 10 1 hour lectures -- offered Spring 1996 over 20 week period
ICPS 700: Introduction to Simulation Track of Computational Science
  • Parallel Architectures, Software, Grand Challenges, Parallel Algorithms (scaled back version of CPS615)
ICPS 701: Parallel Programming Laboratory
  • Use of MPI to do real problems on a Cluster of Workstations/PC's
ICPS710: World Wide Web Technology
  • Scaled back version of CPS616
ICPS711: Web Programming
  • Laboratory companion course to ICPS700. Initially will use PERL4 and PERL5. Will feature Java or equivalent when status clearer
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Foil 41 Some Current NII/Web Technologies -- I

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Clients (such as Mosaic and Netscape) support browsing of hyperlinked documents but have no internal interactive/compute capability
Servers read HTTP and deliver requested service to client
HTML -- a document format supporting hyperlinks
HTTP -- a Transport Protocol defining Interaction between Web servers and Clients
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Foil 42 Some Current NII/Web Technologies -- II

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MIME -- a data format allowing agent-like (extended email) communication
CGI -- a standard interface allowing sophisticated server extensions
PERL -- a rapid prototyping language(script) aimed at text and file manipulation
Web Search engines such as YAHOO, HARVEST, WAIS -- early distributed database access technology supporting search and indexing
net.Thread, WebTools, RealAudio are early Web Interactive services
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Foil 43 Some Technologies to be Integrated into the Web -- I

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Relational databases -- Oracle,DB2 have Web Interfaces
Collaboration from Console Units (PIctureTel, CLI), Desktop (SGI Inperson) to MOOs
Compression from MPEG and Wavelet to host of proprietary solutions -- a faction of 20 to 200 saving in space and bandwidth
Geographical Information Systems
Security will enable commerce on the Internet -- essential for Defence as well
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Foil 44 Some Technologies to be Integrated into the Web -- II

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ATM, ISDN, Wireless, Satellite will be hybrid physical implementation of NII
CORBA, Opendoc, OLE, SGML, Hytime are critical file and document standards
High Performance Multimedia servers to enable digital information delivery on demand
Data transport from MPI/MSGWAY/PVM to AAL to CBR/VBR
Windows95/NT -- the last of the the non social(Web) operating systems -- will follow dinosaurs(IBM mainframes) into extinction
Personal Digital Assistants -- WebNewtons done right -- Telescript (agent based communication) and Magic Cap operating system
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Foil 45 WebServers and InfoVision as an example of Opportunity for MPP's on the NII

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * Critical Information in IMAGE
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Foil 46 Integration of Industry Sectors forming the NII

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * Critical Information in IMAGE
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Foil 47 The Standard Scenario for HPCC and NII

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High Performance (Parallel) Computers on High Speed (ATM) Networks linked to clients at a network performance that supporting realtime Video at a resolution between VHS,HDTV .
MPP's as Internet/Web/NII/GII Servers
  • NII/GII= National/Global Information Infrastructure
  • Supports Decisions by everybody in society
  • Consumers, Healthcare, Teachers, Schoolchildren, Business, Military,
Dual-Use Philosophy must be extended to Multi-Use
  • Different applications must share services
Standards must be used
  • from HPF/HPC++ in simulation arena to
  • to TCP/IP on ATM in networking
  • to parallel relational databases
  • to "Web" technology for multimedia
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Foil 48 NII Compute & Communications Capability in Year 2000 --> 2005

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Each of three components (network connections, clients, servers) has capital value of order $10 to $100 Billion
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Foil 49 Ultimate Vision and Implementation of NII and InfoVision

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InfoVision is ultimate "client-server" application
  • 108 clients -- each of which could be (small) servers -- in fact Web Technology will migrate to democratic "server-server" architecture
  • 104 large (~$10M) parallel servers -- each of which could have 1000 to 10000 nodes
Democracy on the NII (Gore)
  • Everybody can access information on the NII
  • Everybody has equal opportunity to put information on the NII
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Foil 50 What is a Web or HPMMCC Network Server ?

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Web Servers use "Web Technology" to service World Wide Web and other forms of networked multimedia information
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Foil 51 Visit of Hillary Clinton to Syracuse University April 5,1994 -- Medical Demonstration

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Dr. Smith of SUNY Health Science Center demonstrates Telemedicine over ATM in area of pediatric cardiology

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Foil 52 Overall NII Integrating Vision

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WebWindows -- the open nonproprietary operating system of future supplanting UNIX, Windows95/NT, Apple etc. -- manages with a single interface all machines either individually or collectively on the NII
WebWork -- Implements Computing for both Simulation and Information underneath WebWindows -- the correct implementation of HPCC ideas such as HPF,MPI with pervasive technologies
Personal Servers -- Newton was correct but too early. The Web is a server - server technology
Televirtuality -- All Web Users are linked into a single virtual world
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Foil 53 What is WebWindows ?

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * See also color IMAGE
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Like UNIX or MS-DOS or Windows 3.1(NT,95), WebWindows is an operating system for a "computer"
The "computer" is a metacomputer consisting of the 50,000 Webservers (currently--eventually hundreds of millions) on Internet for the World Wide Web
WebWindows can also be used for the metacomputer (collection of heterogeneous networked computers) which is a business enterprise system
  • We consider such an application as a collection of Webservers where we use Web technology to manage business information system.
  • suprisingly many companies looking at Web as alternative to Lotus Notes
WebWindows is a multi-client multi-server technology
  • Clients are Mosaic or Netscape and soon HotJava or better browsers
  • Servers are NCSA compatible HTTP servers with MUCH additional functionality coming from so-called CGI capability -- written in PERL or C++ typically
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Foil 54 HPCC needs a large enough market to sustain technology (systems and software)

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This implies that we look at both Grand Challenges and National Challenges but we suggest this is not enough:
WebWork Builds HPCC technologies on a broad not niche base starting at bottom (Web,PC's)
not top (MPP's, Supercomputers) of computing pyramid
HELP! * GREEN=global GREY=local HTML version of GLOBAL Foils prepared 12 October 1995

Foil 55 Critical Emerging Web Technologies

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Java -- an interpreted C++ like language (script) allowing fully interactive clients which execute applets. Has full set of classes to make clients such as HOTJava. Licensed by Netscape
VRML -- a 3 dimensional HTML allowing universal description of physical objects and allowing interchange of virtual worlds, commercial product designs etc.
PERL5 -- an extension of PERL4 with full object oriented characteristics and extended pointer(array) constructs -- allows construction of Web Software obeying good software engineering practices
Multithreaded WebServers integrating current Web, Compute and digital multimedia delivery services -- future Enterprise Systems
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Foil 56 Figure 6:Impressive early Java demo (fromBrown Univ.) -- sorting algorithms

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An example of HotJava applet that makes essential use of Java multithreading.
Three different sorting algorithms are visualized on a single HotJava page.
Each algorithm can be started independently or they can all run concurrently.
Concurrent mode allows for real-time visual comparison of various algorithms and their performance.
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Foil 57 Java Character Recognition Demo -- The Letter G

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * Critical Information in IMAGE
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Latest results prepared for HPDC95 Tutorial August 1,1995
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Foil 58 Figure 9: Example of use of VRML -- Black Hole Collision Diagram (NCSA)

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A sample VRML page produced by Black Hole Simulation group at NCSA and displayed by SGI WebSpace, cooperating with Netscape Navigator.
A set of 3D spaces related to gravity research is represented as Netscape icons and linked to the corresponding VRML worlds.
WebSpace window displays one of these spaces -- a space-time diagram for two black hole collision ('Pair of Pants' diagram)
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Foil 59 Emerging Higher Level Web Integration Concepts -- I

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WebTools -- Early NPAC Prototype of WebWindows Equivalent to Program Manager with Navigation, File manipulation, Mail
WebDeskTop Publishing -- an early killer application under WebWindows supplanting Word, Wordperfect, LOTUS123 , Persuasion etc. Java allows clear powerful implementation.
WebRDBMS -- Integration of Relational and Distributed databases with both agent based heuristics, formal indices and free text search
Metadata -- Common attributes to allow integration and search of heterogeneous databases
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Foil 60 NPAC WebTools-I (Basic WebWindows Functionality)

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NPAC WebTools is a CGI-extended Web server that offers a HyperWorld based metaphor for organized content authoring and navigation, currently implemented in terms of the following tools: HyperWorld Manager, HyperWorld Navigator, On-Line HTML Editor, WebMail and CASE tools for HySource Worlds authoring.
HyperWorld Manager offers database management support for the server document tree, integrated with browser GUI tools for remote file/document and directory/folder handling (create, destroy, copy etc.). The model assures concurrency control, atomicity and integrity of the document datatbase.
  • Compare to File Manager in MS(becomes Web)Windows and simple UNIX shell cp mv rm commands. Directory structure is (crude) database structure built into UNIX. WebWindows has much much more powerful natural database support.
HELP! * GREEN=global GREY=local HTML version of GLOBAL Foils prepared 12 October 1995

Foil 61 NPAC WebTools-II

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HyperWorld Navigator offers a consistent navigation metaphor.
  • Compare to UNIX directory structure and generalized cd
  • Compare to MSWindows Program Manager
On-Line HTML Editor offers remote authoring support for documents, created by the HyperWorld Manager.
WebMail offers the Web interface to the MH mailing system and initial support for collaborative forums.
  • Enables enhanced MH on all clients from PC's to Supercomputers ...
  • Will also integrate Oracle with WebMail (and WebTools) for very fast indexed and free text search
CASE tools offer disciplined WebTools software development environment, integrated with the HyperWorld database.
  • Enabled by Integration of Computing, Software DEvelopment and Databases in WebWindows
HELP! * GREEN=global GREY=local HTML version of GLOBAL Foils prepared 12 October 1995

Foil 62 Example of WebTool External Editor Interface -- vi and emacs

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * Critical Information in IMAGE
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Latest results prepared for HPDC95 Tutorial August 1,1995
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Foil 63 Example of Spell Check Feature in WebTools

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * Critical Information in IMAGE
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Latest results prepared for HPDC95 Tutorial August 1,1995
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Foil 64 Illustrative Screendump for WebTools (Spring '95):E-Mail Functionality, Implementation

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From foilset WebTools (Spring '95)
Associated Foil can be found
Postscript also Available
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Foil 65 Web Productivity Tools and Virtual Software Laboratory (VSL)

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NPAC WebTools can be viewed as an instance of Web Productivity Tools (navigators, editors, databases), developed collectively by the Internet/Web community.
We view these emergent open tools as central to develop and maintain Web based World-Wide Metacomputing.
Software exchange and integration tools are urgently needed. Without it, 'pervasive Web' will become soon too complex to maintain and will be dominated by closed corporate products.
One such attempt is made by the HySource CASE package in NPAC WebTools. So far, we developed HyPerl World (Screen 3) of the WebTools source code and we now integrate it with Java (Screen 4) in the form of HyJava World (Screen 5)
These tools will evolve towardsVirtual Software Laboratory -- a collective distributed CASE framework for virtual corporation of WebWork developers.
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Foil 66 Figure 3: WebTools CASE tools sample manual page Including hyper-source code

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HyPerl World page, generated automatically by the WebTools CASE package, and integrating documentation with the source.
More generally, we call by HySource the hypertext documentation with navigable source code included.
Function calls and external variable references are 'blue' and point to the corresponding HySource pages.
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Foil 67 Weak Points in Web Technology

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static, browser-oriented client
data (information in a narrow sense) repository
tedious to manage and update (HTML) files on the server side
difficult to keep most updated data automatically --- modifies usually done by a human using word processor or editing tools
A plain UNIX file system only supports primitive functions such as open,read/write and close.
  • More powerful operations on files are required for an information system which is supposed to provide information instead of raw data,
  • i.e., low-level data manipulation operators such as those provided in RDBMS: select, insert, update, commit, rollback,etc.
  • Meaningful data needs to be generated on-the-fly from raw data
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Foil 68 Weak Points in Database Technology

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a non-universal, non-portable remote networking access to database server
plain-text oriented, no multimedia
nonstandard front-end browser (most are line-based)
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Foil 69 By integrating a database server into Web technology, a Web server can be enhanced with:

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a powerful backend text searching engine supporting complex queries
an efficient, reliable and sophisticated data management system supporting representation and organization of logical relationships among information entities
a dynamic data processing engine, provided with opportunity for optimized searching performance in large information systems
a time-dimension added HTML programming engine (see case study examples later)
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Foil 70 By integrating Web into database technology, a Database server can be enhanced with:

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a transparent networking interface for remote database server access
a universal GUI-based search interface for hypertext-added data retrieval
a truly globally-shared data system for maximum information dissemination
an integrated multi-media information system
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Foil 71 Web to Oracle Interface Screen 10: Query by Subject --2

From Challenges and Opportunities for Information Technology in ECS ECS Faculty Retreat -- 15 October 95. * Critical Information in IMAGE
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Produced by Gang Cheng April 1995

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Foil 72 WebFlow Paradigm

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User-level WebWork metaphor is given by WebFlow -- a distributed dataflow model built in terms of WebWork modules and MIME object/document communication channels.
  • Think as Web versions of AVS or Khoros
WebWork users will build and control distributed computing applications (compute-webs) using Web browsers based visual interactive editors and monitors.
We are currently prototyping such WebFlow front-ends at NPAC using Java/HotJava model. WebWork modules are represented by Java threads (Screen 6) and visualized as interactive interconnected icons (Screen 7)
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Foil 73 Figure 7: Java demo (NPAC) -- WebFlow Editor prototype

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Early prototype of AVS or Khoros like visual compute-web editor.
Two interactive modes are supported:
  • a) module placement, and
  • b) module linking.
In mode a), each click in the active editor window places a new module box there.
In mode b), each click on module port generates links with all other modules.
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Foil 74 Software Project Manager -- Example of Agent Middleware

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One current WebWork/WebFlow application, prototyped at NPAC, is Software Project Manager (Screen 8). Each software developer runs his/her WebTools server and uses HySource CASE tools. These servers are WWVM-connected to agent and manager servers. Agent server receives automatic notifications from developers servers on each software volume update, and uses customizable thresholds to decide when to fire a report to the manager or a deadline reminder to a developer.
Software Project Manager tools contains a simple agent server that mediates between client/consumer ( here manager) and servers/producers (here developers).
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Foil 75 Figure 8: Java demo (NPAC) -- WebFlow application prototype: Project Manager

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A front-end for the software project manager tool.
Three types of modules are supported:
  • a) developers,
  • b) software agent,
  • c) project manager.
Developer modules are linked to the agent module and report automatically all changes in the software volume (handled by WebTools CASE toolkit integrated with WebTools editor).
The agent module integrates the results and uses customizable threshold to decide when to fire a report to the manager or a deadline reminder to a developer.
Northeast Parallel Architectures Center, Syracuse University, npac@npac.syr.edu

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