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Basic foilset Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules

Given by David Bernholdt, Geoffrey C. Fox, Wojtek Furmanski, Tom Haupt at CEWES Mid year Project Review on September 14-15 1998. Foils prepared September 13 98
Outside Index Summary of Material

This is CEWES Mid Year Review for two related projects which both use HPcc Concepts
  • FMS CTA Support
  • Web Interfaces for Computational Modules
In each case we start with programmatic forms and then describe technical projects
These projects leverage work with ARL and Sandia (FMS) and NCSA (Web Interfaces)

Table of Contents for full HTML of Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules

 Denote Foils where Image Critical
Denote Foils where HTML is sufficient
1 FMS Core Support FMS HLA Demo
2 Programmatic Status
3 FMS Core Support: Deliverables (1)
4 FMS Core Support: Deliverables (2)
5 FMS Core Support: Deliverables (3)
6 FMS Core Support: Deliverables (4)
7 FMS Core Support: Deliverables (5)
8 FMS HLA Demo: Deliverables (1)
9 FMS HLA Demo: Deliverables (2)
10 FMS HLA Demo: Deliverables (3)
11 FMS HLA Demo: Deliverables (4)
12 FMS HLA Demo: Deliverables (5)
13 Financial Status
14 Technical Progress
15 FMS Core Support: Technical Progress (1)
16 FMS Core Support: Technical Progress (2)
17 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (1)
18 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (2)
19 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (3)
20 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (4)
21 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (5)
22 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (6)
23 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (7)
24 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (8)
25 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (9)
26 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (10)
27 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (11)
28 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (12)
29 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (13)
30 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (14)
31 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (15)
32 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (16)
33 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (17)
34 Future Plans
35 FMS Core Support: Future Plans (1)
36 FMS Core Support: Future Plans (1)
37 FMS HLA Demo: Future Plans (1)
38 FMS HLA Demo: Future Plans (1)
39 Web Interfaces for Computational Modules
40 Programmatic Status (1)
41 Programmatic Status (2)
42 PPT Slide
43 Technical Progress
44 Technical Progress Part I: Background
45 Introduction
46 HPcc: High Performance Commodity Computing
47 Web Based Metacomputing
48 WebFlow
49 Three-tier Architecture of WebFlow
50 Visual Authoring Tools
51 New Front- end
52 PPT Slide
53 Summary
54 Technical Progress Part II: Project Description
55 Objectives
56 More Technically...
57 Implementation Strategy
58 Implementation
59 Two applications:
60 WebFlow implementation of LMS
61 LMS: Deliverables
62 LMS deliverables (Long Term)
63 LMS: Status
64 ARR: Deliverables
65 ARR: status
66 Highlights
67 Future Plans

Outside Index Summary of Material

HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 1 FMS Core Support FMS HLA Demo

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Geoffrey Fox and Wojtek Furmanski
NPAC/Syracuse University
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 2 Programmatic Status

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 3 FMS Core Support: Deliverables (1)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Trip reports for conferences and user contacts: List of published conf papers
  • Internet Server Workshop, Wisconsin, Jun 98
  • DoD HPC Users Group Conf, Rice Univ, Jun 98
  • EuroPar98, UK, Sept 98
  • PDPTA98, Las Vegas, July 98
  • ITEA98/WebFlow for Visual HLA, Aberdeen, Jul 98
  • ITEA98/DirectX meets RTI, Aberdeen, Jul 98
  • ITEA98/Object Web RTI, Aberdeen, Jul 98
  • ITEA98/Universal Databases, Aberdeen, Jul 98
  • SIW Fall 98, Orlando, Sept 98
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 4 FMS Core Support: Deliverables (2)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Trip reports for conferences and user contacts: List of established FMS contacts
  • Mark Roberts, COLSA
  • Bill Smith, Henry Ng, NRL
  • Larry Peterson, Jeff Wallace, Bob Wasilausky, SPAWAR
  • Jeff Sauerborn, VPG, Eileen Viar, TECOM
  • Jeff Steinman, Jim Brutocao, Metron, Louis Yu, Metron
  • Ron van Iwardeen, Frank Weis, JNTF
  • Steve Bishop, Keith Snively, Ft. Belvoir
  • Willie Brown, Milti Leonard, JSU
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 5 FMS Core Support: Deliverables (3)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Contributions to PET bi-weekly and Annual reports
  • Being delivered
Presentations for PET Mid-Year and Annual Reviews (August 98, January 1999)
  • Mid-Year August 1998: This presentation
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 6 FMS Core Support: Deliverables (4)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Training course materials (as conducted)
  • FMS Tutorial by W. Furmanski, JSU Summer Inst., Jun 98
  • FMS Lab by W. Furmanski, JSU Summer Inst., Jun 98
  • FMS Techs (Distr Objects & Databases) by G. C. Fox, ITEA, Jul 98
  • Conference Talks on FMS (see previous slide for published conf papers)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 7 FMS Core Support: Deliverables (5)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Develop and maintain a web site describing FMS activities of interest to CEWES MSRC users
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 8 FMS HLA Demo: Deliverables (1)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Prototype Object Web RTI operational and sequential Java platforms (UNIX workstations, Windows NT PCs) by May 1998
  • Delivered
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 9 FMS HLA Demo: Deliverables (2)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HLA version of CMS is operational and tested at NPAC using Object Web RTI (August 1998)
  • Postponed till late `98 due to new focus on Supercomputing `98 demo (see technical progress for more details)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 10 FMS HLA Demo: Deliverables (3)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Contributions to PET bi-weekly and Annual reports
  • Being delivered
Presentations for PET Mid-Year and Annual Reviews (August 1998, January 1999)
  • Mid-Year August 1998: This presentation
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 11 FMS HLA Demo: Deliverables (4)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Both sequential and parallel versions of CMS modules for mine field and tested vehicles installed in respective centers and connected via Object Web RTI. Simple Web browser based control front-end established to both sites/simulation components. Front-end (given by a Java applet with simple 2D navigation tools) allows user to run and monitor distributed CMS from any Web site (December 1998)
  • Trial demo for Jager Donuts operational
  • Building CMS demo for Supercomputing `98
  • See Technical Progress for more details
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 12 FMS HLA Demo: Deliverables (5)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Final Demonstration (March 1999)
  • Trial demo planned for Supercomputing `98 (November 1998)
Pre-print report on results of effort (March 1999)
  • Joint publications planned with Ft. Belvoir (CMS developers)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 13 Financial Status

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
FMS Core Support
FMS HLA Demo
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 14 Technical Progress

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 15 FMS Core Support: Technical Progress (1)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Good progress with FMS conference papers:
  • DoD UGC paper presented in Houston, June 98
  • 4 papers presented at ITEA'98, Aberdeen, July 98
  • SIW Fall'98 paper to be presented in Sept `98
Wiley book in progress: Building Distributed Systems on Pragmatic Object Web to include material on JWORB and Object Web RTI
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 16 FMS Core Support: Technical Progress (2)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
First Entry Level FMS Training (Full day Course + Lab) delivered June 98 during the JSU Summer Institute
FMS Training Site at http://bombay.npac.syr.edu/fms includes overview of FMS projects (PET and CHSSI) and tutorials on enabling Web/Commodity technologies
FMS Training Space under development at http://tapetus.npac.syr.edu/hpcmp/fms/pet/training/index.html will include support for interactive Web based multi-player training
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 17 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (1)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Object Web RTI, developed in Year 2, is now fully operational both for UNIX and NT
OWRTI implements DMSO RTI 1.3 as a CORBA Service in Java
Generic middleware layer is provided by JWORB (Java Web Object Request Broker) which offers a Java based ORB integrated with Web server (HTTP + IIOP server)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 18 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (2)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 19 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (3)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
OWRTI implements DMSO RTI 1.3 as a JWORB service
This includes two major CORBA objects: RTIAmbassador to represent RTI for federates, and FederateAmbassador that resides in a federate and receives callbacks from the RTI
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 20 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (4)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 21 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (5)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
RTIAmbassador is implemented in terms of a set of CORBA objects in JWORB, corresponding to individual RTI services such as:
  • Federation Management
  • Object Management
  • Ownership Management
  • Declaration Management
  • Time Management
  • Data Distribution Management
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 22 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (6)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 23 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (7)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
We started to experiment with simple HLA applications running on top of OWRTI
As the first target we selected Jager - a simple multi-player video game distributed as part of with DMSO RTI release
We constructed WebFlow based visual front-end for Jager and we added OpenGL based 3D viewer
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 24 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (8)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 25 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (9)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
In the next step, we constructed "Jager Donuts" - a DirectX based front-end for Jager over OWRTI by adapting the Space Donuts game distributed by Microsoft as part of DirectX SDK to Jager scenario and geometry
We have now remote multi-player version of this game recently tested between Syracuse and San Diego (demonstrated there during PANDA JSIMS meeting)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 26 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (10)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 27 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (11)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
DirectX is a new powerful commodity front-end for interactive multimedia
The following screendump comes from the professional game "Art of Flying" by Blue Moon Interactive which is a kind of flight simulator running real time on a Pentium laptop
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 28 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (12)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 29 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (13)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
While testing OWRTI with various graphical front-ends, we proceed with CMS demo development
We were asked by HPCMO to prepare SC'98 parallel CMS demo and we therefore decided to focus on this task and return to HLA compliant CMS in Nov/Dec `98
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 30 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (14)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 31 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (15)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
We have currently the following configuration operational:
  • a group of ModSAF vehicles is running at NPAC
  • CMS minefield is running at Origin2000 at ARL
  • vehicles and minefield are connected and communicate via MBONE multicast
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 32 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (16)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 33 FMS HLA Demo: Technical Progress (17)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
In the planned SC'98 demo, we will try to visualize minefield terrain and the propagating vehicle using ImmersaDesk
Visitors at Orlando booth will be able to control vehicles (running at NPAC) and see them exploded in the minefield (running in ARL)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 34 Future Plans

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 35 FMS Core Support: Future Plans (1)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
We are building FMS Training Space that will offer real-time multi-player style training (a la Jager Donuts or Parallel CMS) for selected FMS systems
The first target is SPEEDES and we also evaluate ModSAF
As the first step, we are building the Web linked database support for ModSAF documentation
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 36 FMS Core Support: Future Plans (1)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 37 FMS HLA Demo: Future Plans (1)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
After SC'98 demo, we will try to combine the experience coming from various visualization front-ends
We intend to move Metacomputing CMS demo towards Simulation Based Acquisition style proof-of-the concept application for countermine engineering
We will also seek for other application candidates for OWRTI in the JSIMS domain
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 38 FMS HLA Demo: Future Plans (1)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 39 Web Interfaces for Computational Modules

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Geoffrey Fox and Tomasz Haupt
NPAC/Syracuse University
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 40 Programmatic Status (1)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Initial meeting with FMS group (Jun'98)
  • 3 meetings w/ both Deliman & Holland groups
Prototype web interface for LMS demo (Jul'98)
  • Demo rescheduled to early Sep'98 to match change in Holland's planned demo for DoD
Report on "lessons learned" from LMS prototype (Aug'98)
  • Will follow demo
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 41 Programmatic Status (2)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Presentations for PET mid-year and annual reviews (Aug'98, Jan'99)
Web interfaces ready for demo (Feb'99)
  • on track
Training at CEWES MSRC on web interface technology (Mar'99)
  • on track
Report (Mar'99)
  • on track
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 42 PPT Slide

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Financial Status
Web Interfaces
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 43 Technical Progress

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Background on web interface technology
Detailed description of two demonstration projects
Highlights of results
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 44 Technical Progress Part I: Background

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
(Not directly funded by PET programs)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 45 Introduction

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Software technologies of the World-Wide Web contain a promising potential for building a new generation of distributed, high performance computing environments.
The web is not just a document access system supported by the somewhat limited HTTP protocol. Rather, it is the distributed object technology which can build general multi-tiered enterprise intranet and internet applications.
CORBA is turning from a sleepy heavyweight standard initiative to a major competitive development activity that battles with DCOM and JavaBeans to be the core distributed object technology.
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 46 HPcc: High Performance Commodity Computing

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
A new strategy which builds HPCC programming tools on top of the remarkable new software infrastructure being developed for the commercial web and distributed object areas.
This leverage of a huge industry investment naturally delivers tools with the desired properties with the one (albeit critical) exception that high performance is not guaranteed.
We add high performance to commodity systems using a multi-tier architecture with GLOBUS metacomputing toolkit as the backend of a middle-tier of commodity web and object servers.
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 47 Web Based Metacomputing

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
High level programming environment and tools to support distance computing on heterogeneous distributed commodity platforms and high-speed networks, spanning across labs and facilities.
Access to the full range of commercial capabilities (e.g. databases and compute servers), pervasive access from all platforms and natural incremental enhancement.
Uniform, platform independent, Web-based interactive point of access
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 48 WebFlow

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
More specifically, we are developing WebFlow - a scalable, high level, commodity standards based, HPDC system that integrates:
  • High-level front-ends for visual programming, steering, run-time data analysis and visualization, and collaboration built on top of the web and OO commodity standards (tier 1).
  • Distributed object-based, scalable, and reusable web server and object broker middleware (tier 2)
  • High performance backend implemented using the metacomputing toolkit of GLOBUS (tier 3)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 49 Three-tier Architecture of WebFlow

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 50 Visual Authoring Tools

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
The visual HPDC framework delivered by this project offers an intuitive web browser based interface and a uniform point of interactive control for a variety of computational modules and applications, running at various places on different platforms and networks.
New applications can be composed dynamically from reusable components just by clicking on visual module icons, dragging them into the active WebFlow editor area, and linked by drawing the required connection lines, as shown in the following slide:
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 51 New Front- end

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 52 PPT Slide

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 53 Summary

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
We developed a platform independent, three-tier system: the visual authoring tools implemented in the front end integrated with the middle tier network of servers based on the industry standards and following the distributed object paradigm, which facilitates seamless integration of commodity software components.
In particular, we use the WebFlow as a high level, visual user interface for GLOBUS. This not only makes the construction of a meta-application a much easier task for an end user, but also allows to combine this state of art HPCC environment with commercial software, including packages available only on Intel-based personal computers.
See http://www.npac.syr.edu/users/haupt/webflow/demo.html
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 54 Technical Progress Part II: Project Description

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Web interfaces to:
  • Landscape modeling system
  • Assessment and repair of roadways system
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 55 Objectives

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
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To develop a web based system that implements a "navigate-and-choose" paradigm and allows the end user to:
  • Select (a set of) computational modules that provide answers to the problem at hand
  • Retrieve input data sets from the Internet
  • Use adequate (remote) computational resources
  • Visualize and analyze output data on the local host
Anytime, anywhere, using any platform (e.g., a connected to the internet laptop PC)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 56 More Technically...

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Automates data retrieval from different sources (databases, web sites, etc.)
Performs input data preprocessing (such as format conversions) on-the-fly
Identifies and allocates computational resources (ranging form the local host to a network of remote high performance systems)
Facilitates interprocessor communications
Automates data transfer
Launches visualization packages (also in a collaborative mode)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 57 Implementation Strategy

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Follow industry standards
  • HTTP, Java, JavaBeans, CORBA, IIOP,...
Use commercial commodity software
  • Web browsers, web servers, text editors, ...
Adopt the best solutions from academia
  • WebFlow, GLOBUS, ...
Minimize modifications of the existing simulation software
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 58 Implementation

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
We are using WebFlow as the base infrastructure for Web-based distributed computations
Support for high performance systems will be build using GLOBUS metacomputing toolkit
The same infrastructure will be used for different applications (including other PET projects - already adopted by M. Wheeler at UT at Austin)
Particular applications require customized front-ends, and Java/CORBA wrappers for the computational modules without modifications of the original codes.
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 59 Two applications:

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Landscape Modeling System
  • select a computational model (currently CASC2D interoperating with EDYS), retrieve the input data, preprocess them using WMS, transfer the data to the hosts on which the models are to be run, launch the applications, and visualize the result on the local host.
Assessment and Repair of Roadways
  • GIS-based front-end implemented as a Java applet that allows the user to define a problem by interactively selecting features on the map, and run it on a selected host. The raw input data (GIS maps, status of roads, etc.) come from many different sources, in different formats, and are of different quality.
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 60 WebFlow implementation of LMS

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
WebFlow
server
WebFlow
server
WebFlow
server
EDYS
CASC2D
Data Retrieval
High Performance System
CASC2D
proxy
IIOP
Web Browser
Data Wizard
WMS interface
Toolbar
HTTP
WMS
File Transfer
File Transfer
GLOBUS
Internet
WebFlow modules
(back-end)
WebFlow
middle-tier
WebFlow applet
(front-end)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 61 LMS: Deliverables

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Short term (September 98): The first demo of the Web-based LMS system will include the following features:
  • automatic downloading of input data needed to run CASC2D model
  • launching WMS on local or remote host (to preprocess raw input data to CASC2D format)
  • launching CASC2D on a remote host
    • in a stand-alone mode
    • coupled with EDYS to improve CASC2D simulations
    • to provide input data for a long term EDYS simulations
  • uploading results to the client and run WMS visualization package
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 62 LMS deliverables (Long Term)

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
incorporating models different than CASC2D to WMS, and support for application other than WMS
development of a general support for small grain interaction between the models
support for high performance systems using GLOBUS
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 63 LMS: Status

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
WebFlow infrastructure ready to use
  • both Unix and Windows NT
WMS encapsulated as a WebFlow module
CASC2D and EDYS
  • waiting for the codes (the codes are being modified to facilitate a fine grain data exchange between them)
Data retrieval modules
  • for data from USGS: under development
  • others: pending on specifications to be received from WES.
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 64 ARR: Deliverables

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Short term (September 98):
  • implementation of a specific model as a WebFlow module and running it using a fixed input data stored on a local disk
Long term:
  • a Web interface for selecting and retrieving data sets
  • WebFlow modules to identify format of the data, and performing data conversions, if necessary
  • WebFlow modules to generate input data, if none are available
  • support for remote execution of computational models and data transfer
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 65 ARR: status

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
A little behind the schedule
  • pending on codes to be received form WES
  • good news: much of the efforts devoted to WMS is directly reusable for this project
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 66 Highlights

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Java training presented (Jun'98) as outgrowth of this project
Three meetings with EQM & FMS users in first half of Year 3
PET EQM "web launching" project with shift to WebFlow technology
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared September 13 98

Foil 67 Future Plans

From Report on FMS and Web Interfaces for Computational MOdules CEWES Mid year Project Review -- September 14-15 1998. *
Full HTML Index
Planned demonstration of web interfacing technology with U Texas (Mary Wheeler) group for SC98
Extension to HPC systems via WebFlow over GLOBUS
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