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Basic foilset Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review

Given by Geoffrey Fox, David Bernholdt, Roman Markowski, Doug Fein at ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, on August 3-5, 1999. Foils prepared August 15 99
Outside Index Summary of Material

Organization and Goals in ARL InfoComm Team
Tango 2 Enhancements
Intraanet Operating Environment IOE
Year 4 Activities including "Tango5" Dreams

Table of Contents for full HTML of Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review

 Denote Foils where Image Critical
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1 Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review
2 Organization
3 Objectives
4 Primary Activities
5 TANGO 2 Core Enhancements I
6 TANGO 2 Core Enhancements II
7 Concept of "roles"
8 TANGO 2 Core Enhancements III
9 TANGO 2 Core Enhancements IV - Interface configuration support
10 TANGO 2 Core Enhancements V
11 TANGO 2 application support
12 Asynchronous Web-based Training
13 Collaboration & Training Support (1)
14 Collaboration & Training Support (2)
15 Web Site Support
16 IOE: Intranet Operating Environment
17 Basic IOE Requirements
18 IOE Capabilities Defined in SoW
19 IOE Portal Topology
20 IOE Portal Architecture
21 IOE Progress to Date: Procurement and Installation
22 IOE Progress to Date: Testing, Evaluation & Prototyping
23 Future Activities (1)
24 Future Activities (2)
25 Future Activities (3)
26 Future Activities (4)
27 Future Dreams: TangoInteractive 5
28 Some Ideas in TangoInteractive 5

Outside Index Summary of Material

HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 1 Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
NPAC/Syracuse University
NCSA
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 2 Organization

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Geoffrey Fox, Academic Lead
Project Leaders for I/C-related activities
  • David Bernholdt, Syracuse
  • Sandie Kappes, NCSA (WebCT)
  • Roman Markowski, Syracuse (IOE)
  • John Melchi, NCSA (IOE)
  • Marek Podgorny, Syracuse (Tango)
Derek Moses, ARL on-site
Cooperation with Outreach and Training staff
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 3 Objectives

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Facilitate PET and Modernization Program activities through ideas, tools, and technologies derived from the rapidly advancing Internet/web/distributed computing arena
Areas of application include internal PET communication as well as interaction with users, technological aspects of Training, as well as I/C issues relating to software environments
  • Collaborative technologies are a particular emphasis
Use commodity and standards-based solutions wherever possible
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 4 Primary Activities

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Continued Support for and Enhancement of Tango Interactive
Asynchronous Web-Based Training
General Collaboration & Training Support
General Web Site Support
PET Intranet Operating Environment
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 5 TANGO 2 Core Enhancements I

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Tango 1 highly functional, but needed major renovations for better generality, flexibility
Brand new Graphical User Interface
  • Simpler interface based on lessons from Tango 1.4
  • Improves ergonomy and saves screen space
  • However more Java code (swing classes), so longer to download
Authentication and security
  • Server-based user authentication, secret key based, strength better than UNIX but still not in Kerberos league
  • Support for sharing local encrypted data (currently simple files, with RDBMS, HTTP-based files written, not integrated -- release 2.1)
  • Server Registration (eliminates rogue servers , server spoofing)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 6 TANGO 2 Core Enhancements II

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Standards-compliant Personal Identity Module
  • Independent of storage, PIM metadata comply with IMS standards
  • This is critical for future interoperability
User data include "roles"
  • Interpretation of "role" attribute is left to the system. Enables privilege and contents access control
Integrated e-mail and support for data persistence
  • Internal mail system has a gateway to "sendmail"
  • All internal messages may be copied to external mail accounts
  • "Communities" supported by listserv interface (integrated in 2.1)
  • Application modules can use e-mail to store application data (integrated in 2.1)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 7 Concept of "roles"

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Each user in a community is assigned a role
The role is completely arbitrary
  • professor, student, uncle Matt, top_secret_clearance, chair
Roles can only be used with secure servers
Session Manager can be configured to alter some behaviors based on the role
  • Predefined session
  • Role-specific application set
  • Role-specific application startup URLs
  • Role-specific operational privileges
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 8 TANGO 2 Core Enhancements III

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
"Awareness" package (AOL like Instant messenger to support dynamic collaboration -- expand use of Tango)
  • Dynamic directory service implemented to track users and communities with "voluntary" participation, multilevel status definition, privacy protection
  • Dynamic collaboratory server selection and migration based on server status tracking via directory service
  • PC-only at present (unix support for agents lacking)
Session recording capability
  • Partial Integration with the LecCorder package
Enhanced session management and security
  • All permissions can be set per application session in addition to global settings
  • Role- based privileges
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 9 TANGO 2 Core Enhancements IV - Interface configuration support

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Pre-defined, fixed, auto-started application sessions
Flexible (system administrator configurable) multi-frame layout
  • Support for placing selected application modules in one multi-frame window
  • improved interface ergonomy; implementation of domain specific interfaces
  • Example: distance education interface with session manager, feedback applet, chat pre-arranged in a single window
Hidden-frames support (provides a place for applets/scripts to run without having to present a user interface, or extraneous windows)
Absolute placement of floating application windows with a customizable window manager
"Branding" support (advertise your MSRC .....)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 10 TANGO 2 Core Enhancements V

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Support for Internet Explorer
  • Implemented and operational for Java applets and "local" applications
  • Designed and prototyped for JavaScript applications
  • Insufficient testing, unknown robustness
  • Anticipated for release in 2.1
"Out-of-the-browser" implementation (applications not applets)
  • Important for UNIX platforms
  • Designed, prototyped and sparsely tested. Design implements a model analogous to "LiveConnect" for AppletViewer
  • Significant performance and robustness gains
  • Anticipated for release in 2.1
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 11 TANGO 2 application support

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Support for shared dynamic HTML as in pointers
Support for shared Document Object Model
  • Forms-based applications such as "NCSA Biology Workbench"
Performance Module tells teacher/network administrator download time for each web page shared and signifies if user falls behind either web pages or dynamic HTML within page
Integration with Courseware Management Database System (WebWisdom DB)
Enhanced user feedback modules for assesment
Voting/Testing tools
Collaborative Scientific Visualization package (for 2.1 release)
Active Shared Objects technology (embed shared Java Applets in a Web page)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 12 Asynchronous Web-based Training

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Objective: Provide PET with capability to deliver any-time, anywhere, any-pace training via the web.
Asynchronous web-based training tool, WebCT, recommended and demonstrated in Year 2 for use in delivering CTA courses.
Capability tech transferred to PET via training in December at ARL and NCSA
Evaluations to determine effectiveness will be conducted as CTA courses are developed.
Note TangoInteractive can share WebCT courseware
Constructing portable LecCorders to be based at OSU (now), ARL/HEAT (soon)
  • Package recording of audio/video linked to curricula material
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 13 Collaboration & Training Support (1)

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
On-site I/C staff (ARL PET Outreach team and Derek Moses) supports routine operations of training room
ARL Distance Training Workshop: Tango Interactive and WebCT (Dec'98)
Participated in CEWES-sponsored prototype distance training classes: Fortran90 (Sep'98), OpenMP (Jan'99)
Supported Alliance-sponsored, OSC-delivered distance training (Java for Scientific Computing) at ACCESS Center in DC. Preparation for ARL use of ACCESS to better reach DC-area users. (Feb'99)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 14 Collaboration & Training Support (2)

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Geoffrey Fox delivered seminar from Syracuse to all four MSRCs, organized by ARL (Apr'99)
Network-Based Remote Collaboration and Training: Progress and Plans white paper requested by John Grosh at mid-year meeting.
Two half-day Tango tutorials, full-day Java tutorial at DoD HPC UGC (Jun'99)
Informal meeting of Training and I/C support staff at DoD HPC UGC, to be followed up with email, phone conferences (Jun'99)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 15 Web Site Support

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
MSRC and PET web sites are a primary tool for user communications
On-site staff (ARL PET Outreach team and Derek Moses) responsible for day to day operation and management of web site
On-site staff largely responsible for web site re-design
  • Some NCSA guidance
On-site I/C staff provide training and assistance with HTML, web tools, etc. for other MSRC & PET staff
Plans to install web/database tools: search engine, possibly WSMS developed at ERDC
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 16 IOE: Intranet Operating Environment

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Purpose: Intranet Information System for ARL and ASC that facilitates day-to-day operations with focus on
  • PET project management
  • Remote collaboration
  • Effective dissemination of information to members
  • Tools to support application access, database access, document repositories
Users: PET management, Academic team, Training staff, MSRC users
Phase I - PET activities, 15 month project, started end of June 1999
Phase II - MSRC activities
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 17 Basic IOE Requirements

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Web browser independent (Netscape, Internet Explorer)
Desktop and Operating System Independent
Security
Interface to Object Relational Database
Available Tools: Master Training Calendar, Master Events Calendar, Client Productivity and Collaboration Tools
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 18 IOE Capabilities Defined in SoW

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
ARL staff to evaluate calendaring software
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 19 IOE Portal Topology

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 20 IOE Portal Architecture

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 21 IOE Progress to Date: Procurement and Installation

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Production & testing HP servers (NCSA)
Apache Stronghold secure web server (NCSA)
Apache Server 1.3.6 with servlet support (Jserv 1.0) (SU)
Oracle 8i (NCSA, SU)
Oracle Enterprise Manager 2.0 for Solaris and NT (SU)
Oracle Application Server 4.0 for Solaris (SU)
WebDB 2.0.5 database management tool from interMedia (SU)
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 22 IOE Progress to Date: Testing, Evaluation & Prototyping

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Prototype of User Interface System (Portal model) http://aim.ncsa.uiuc.edu (NCSA)
Security Infrastructure: Kerberos API for authentication, PKI for encryption (NCSA)
Client-Middle tier Interactions (NCSA, SU)
  • XSQL Servlet (DB table converted to XML and displayed by IE)
  • XML SQL Utility (client and server side conversion of DB table into XML file and vice versa)
  • XML Parser for Java with DOM, SAX and XSL interfaces
Middle tier-Database Interactions (SU)
  • Thin JDBC and OCI8 drivers for access to the Database
  • Loading formatted documents (Word, PPT, PDF) into database table with BLOB column
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 23 Future Activities (1)

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Tango Interactive 2.0 will be deployed for collaboration and education
ARL-supported Tango development will focus on security issues
  • TI is presently quite functional, but offers little protection against eavesdropping -- can be a sociological or actual barrier to use
  • Features to be added include firewall support, encryption of client-server traffic (SSL), user authentication
New Tango application area: briefings and meetings. Require extension of teacher-student to richer role model
We need to start test deployment of TangoInteractive to scientific collaborators
  • Need capabilities such as shared visualization (several prototypes) and scientific notebooks
  • Volunteers welcome!
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 24 Future Activities (2)

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Fall'99 course Tangocast offered to all ARL partners
  • CPS640: Topics in Networking and Multimedia Applications
  • Morgan State plans to participate, among others (Jackson State, Clark Atlanta ..)
Promote Tangocast delivery of trainings to allow broader access
  • Technical capability ready & waiting at ARL, ASC, CEWES, NAVO, NRL-DC, ACCESS, Kirtland AFB, etc.
  • Need willing instructors
  • OSC instructors now offer Tangocast option as a matter of routine
Suggest a PET/MSRC seminar program
  • Help PET staff become comfortable w/ TI by giving a seminar in their own field from their home institution
  • Provides users opportunity to see seminar in their field w/o travel
  • Use Tango to reach larger audience -- other MSRCs interested
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 25 Future Activities (3)

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Prepare ARL mobile training cluster for use w/ TI
Promote use of LecCorder to capture trainings for future synchronous or asynchronous playback
PET IOE will continue as joint Syracuse/NCSA project with support and guidance from both ARL and ASC
  • Project barely begun in Yr3. Procurement, installation, evaluation will become evaluation, prototyping, and implementation
  • Integrate ARL PET staff (Derek Moses) into development and support (2 day Meeting probably in August)
  • Significant use of XML, database back-ends -- these technologies will be important for web-based communications in DoD and elsewhere
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 26 Future Activities (4)

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Extension of Gateway or related metasystems activities to ARL
  • ARL host Gateway project meeting (May'99)
  • Discussions of IMT needs (somewhere between Gateway and traditional I/C), but IMT users not yet ready
  • ARL jointly sponsoring Metasystems Workshop at U. Virginia later this month
  • Supporting CCM PSE through ASC
Worry about Security issues as these likely to be of increasing importance to DoD and impact distributed collaboration and computing tools in ways that are not well understood
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 27 Future Dreams: TangoInteractive 5

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Follow (doomed) Thinking Machines nomenclature CM1 CM2 CM5 with PhD thesis of Lukasz Beca
TI2.0 is an evolution of TI1.4; Suppose now we ignore history and tiresome ephemeral albeit important features of current technology that constrain implementations
Requirements for TI5.0
  • Linkage with Gateway (and such systems) to support many types of collaborative objects (visualization, data, execution, Scientific Notebook)
  • Seamless integration of asynchronous and synchronous collaboration
  • Deliver to diverse clients: Palmtops, workstations, CAVE's; handicapped users and clients
HTML version of Basic Foils prepared August 15 99

Foil 28 Some Ideas in TangoInteractive 5

From Information and Communications ARL MSRC Year 3 Annual Review ARL MSRC PET Annual Review and Planning Workshop, Aberdeen, MD, -- August 3-5, 1999. *
Full HTML Index
Assume essentially all information will be specified in XML and rendered in Web Pages
Such Web Pages will be manipulated via W3C DOM or equivalent generalizing today's shared dynamic HTML
XML will specify both information to be shared and the nature of sharing
  • Allows XML Web Pages to consist of multiple document fragments (a visualized image, 2 chat rooms, white board, Gateway Interface, Web Help pages ..) with XML content and XML collaborative policies
Java (Jini?) enables global sharing with dynamic policies and dynamic XML--> HTML rendering to support disparate clients
JavaScript controls XML Pages and their collaboration and rendering
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