Oxford Particle Physics Site Report

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Oxford Particle Physics Site Report

• Pete Gronbech
• Systems Manager

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Goals and Objectives

• Flexibility on the Desktop (Low cost Seats)
• Access to networked services (X, http, IMAP)
• Access to PC Applications
• Reduce management overheads
• Reduce costs
• Servers provide Compute power
• Central Servers for UNIX, VMS, Mail Web
• Compatibility with CERN / DESY / Fermilab
• Provide Code development environments

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The Server / Desktop Divide
Servers
General Purpose Unix Server
VMS Server
Mail Server
Web Server
NTServer
Unix Workstation
NT PC
NT PC
NT PC
NT PC
Desktops
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Status

• General Setup remains the same with NT PCs on
  the Desktop and Various UNIX/VMS/NT servers in
  the Computer Room.
• Super Janet 4 connection 622Mbs (limited by
  Firewall to 100Mbs )Campus backbone Gigabit
  EthernetDepartment Connected 100Mbs Internal
  Physics 10 /100Mbs switched
• Server Strategy - Heavy use of remote compute
  farms, Local CPU will be provided by Intel Linux
  systems. Digital Unix systems and legacy VMS
  systems.

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Network Access
Super Janet 4
Just upgraded to 622Mb/s OUCS firewall to be
upgraded to 1Gbps speed shortly
Physics Backbone Switch
100Mb/s
Physics Firewall
OUCS Firewall
100Mb/s
100Mb/s
Backbone Edge Router
1Gb/s
100Mb/s
Campus Backbone Router
100Mb/s
1Gb/s
depts
Backbone Edge Router
depts
100Mb/s
depts
100Mb/s
depts
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al1 Digital 2100 Server 3 CPUs 512MB RAM 216GB
Disks
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al17 - A Digital Personal Workstation 500au 9
50GB disks in the Datasilo
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Status 2

• Additional CPU is provided by a Digital Alpha
  500au. New CPU provided by Linux. Just ordered a
  dual 800MHz 2GB RAM system for SNO analysis.
• Oxford is the Lead site for successful CDF_JIF
  bid, multi-cpu server plus 1 TB store in each CDF
  institute. Plus larger 2TB store at RAL and even
  larger at Fermilab.
• Server Strategy - IT in general - NT server (6)
  for desktop file/print, Exchange 5.5 for email,
  IIS 4 for web serving, MS Terminal Server to give
  NT 4 remote access.
• VMS - DAQ systems still important but general
  purpose service is running down (mail, word
  processing etc going to NT)
• Data Acquisition - LABview on NT for most
  laboratory DAQ and control (used by wide range of
  research groups)
• Videoconferencing - PC based Intel plus access to
  ISDN6 Tandberg. MS Netmeeting used frequently to
  DESY

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Linux
pplx1 Fermi 6.1.1
pplx2 RH6.1
ppnt109 RH6.1
pplx3 RH6.1
Treat Linux as just another Unix and hence a
server OS to be managed centrally. Wish to avoid
badly managed desktop PCs running Linux.
Servers
GENERAL RAL Linux Farm Porting Machine
MINOS Linux/NT DAQ
SNO Linux CPU Server
CDF Linux (Dual 400MHz PII)
Unix Workstation
NT PC
NT PC
NT PC
NT PC
Desktops
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Plans and Concerns

• Look to replace local compute server with RAID
  Disk Server and Linux CPU servers. Disk server
  could be Intel based running NT or Linux but if
  performance is not sufficient a proprietary
  solution may be used.
• Experience gained with CDF distributed data store
  will help plan LHC requirements.
• Choice of OS/platforms for computation. Clear
  that this will be Red Hat Linux
• NT4 provides all desktop functionality we need.
  Will look at Windows2000 but no rush (at least
  for the desktop)
• cost of software licensing
• MAN POWER