Transcript Slide 1

Introduction to EXPReS
- SURFnet and JIVE GigaPort seminar for astronomers
T. Charles Yun
Program Manager EXPReS Project, JIVE
Presentation Overview
• Introduction to VLBI
• Introduction to EXPReS
• Segue into the detailed astronomy and research of EXPReS
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 2
GigaPort and SURFnet 6
• Without the efforts of SURFnet, e-VLBI would not be possible in
the Netherlands or in Europe
• Connectivity between
• Amsterdam and Dwingeloo
• Dwingeloo and Groningen
• Leadership
• Dedicated light paths as the foundation for SURFnet 6
• SURFnet continues to be a leader in the network world
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 3
Introduction to VLBI
A one slide VLBI primer
• A radio telescope looks at an object in the sky and collects data
to create an “image” of the source
• Multiple telescopes can view the same object. The distance
between the telescopes is the baseline. The baseline can be
compared to building a single telescope with the diameter of this
distance (sort of).
• Correlation is the process by which data from multiple telescopes
is collected and processed to create a more accurate image. The
correlator a super computer (interferometry)
• The resolution of the image increases with the data collection
rate. Higher data rates are better; higher resolution is better.
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 4
Introduction to VLBI
Once upon a time...
• Telescopes collected data on tapes. Tapes were heavy and bulky.
Someone had to stand next to the recorders and change tapes.
The boxes had to be boxed and labeled. They were then sent via
postal mail to the correlator facility. Once all the tapes arrived
from all the locations, you could begin data analysis. Sometimes
tapes were lost/damaged. Sometimes data was not recorded
properly onto the tapes. It was not unusual for the time between
experiment to the beginning of correlation to be multiple weeks.
• Hard drive arrays improved the situation... but only temporarily.
• Today, you can transport the data over the network:
e-VLBI - electronic VLBI
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 5
Introduction to VLBI
Why transport data over the network?
• Using the network to transport data improves science
• Eliminate the need to move physical objects
• Real time analysis
• Ability to identify minor problems in data collection
• Hybrid observations
• Responsiveness to transient events
• Automated observation (hands-off observing)
• Once the data is on the network, there is flexibility to investigate
different options (move the correlator, multiple correlators, etc.)
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 6
Introduction to VLBI
Optical networks, Radio astronomy
• Advanced optical networks provide radio astronomy a solution to
the data transport problem.
• Networks can address VLBI’s inherently geographically
distributed nature
• Assumption: SURFnet will have shown Dutch, European and
international network maps
• Network data rates are improving and provide a flexibility not
available with physical media
• VLBI also happens to be loss tolerant, which is a useful
characteristic when dealing with high-speed networks
• Layer 2 networking introduces a level of control that allows
VLBI to pursue different ways of moving data, thus different
ways of obtainin the data for correlations
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 7
Introduction to EXPReS
What is EXPReS?
• EXPReS = Express Production Real-time e-VLBI Service
The overall objective of EXPReS is to create a productionlevel, real-time, “electronic” VLBI (e-VLBI) service, in
which the radio telescopes are reliably connected to the
central supercomputer at JIVE in the Netherlands, via a
high-speed optical-fibre communication network...
- or Make e-VLBI routine, reliable and realistic for astronomers
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 8
Introduction to EXPReS
EXPReS Details
• EXPReS is made possible by the European Commission (DGINFSO), Sixth Framework Programme, Contract #026642
• Project Details
• Three year, started March 2006
• International collaboration
• Funded at 3.9 million EUR by the
• Means: high-speed communication networks operating in
real-time and connecting some of the largest and most
sensitive radio telescopes on the planet
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 9
Introduction to EXPReS
EXPReS Partners
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Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (coordinator), the Netherlands
AARNET Pty Ltd., Australia
ASTRON, the Netherlands
Centro Nacional de Informacion Geografica, Spain
Chalmers Tekniska Hoegskola Aktiebolag, Sweden
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia
Cornell University, USA
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe Ltd. (DANTE), UK
Instituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Italy
Instytut Chemii Bioorganicznej PAN, Poland
Max Planck Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Wissenschaften e.V., Germany
National Research Foundation, South Africa
Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
SURFNet b.v., The Netherlands
Teknillinen Korkeakoulu, Finland
The University of Manchester, UK
Universidad de Concepcion, Chile
Uniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika, Poland
Ventspils Augstskola, Latvia
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
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Introduction to EXPReS
Participating telescope sites
Image courtesy of Dr. Francisco Colomer, <http://www.oan.es/expres/status.htm>
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 11
...a quick aside...
“Heavy Users”
• In her introduction, Sandra mentioned “heavy users” of the
network.
• Used to be code for physicists at CERN
• Only moving files between two locations
• HEP community can be unfairly summarized as FTP
• One source, multiple destinations
• They are not yet running
• e-VLBI is real-time data transport from multiple locations to the
correlator (think: supercomputer), with the ability to capture data
at rates that will saturate the backbone of any network
We are doing things today
We want more tomorrow
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 12
Introduction to EXPReS
Activities in EXPReS
• Networking Activities
• NA1: Management of I3
• NA2: EVN-NREN Forum
• NA3: e-VLBI Science Forum
• NA4: e-VLBI Outreach, Dissemination & Communications
• Specific Service Activities
• SA1: Production e-VLBI Service
• SA2: Network Provision for a Global e-VLBI Array
• Joint Research Activities
• JRA1: Future Arrays of Broadband Radio Telescopes on
Internet Computing
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 13
Segue to Astronomy
The Real work
• Today you will hear about from two activities in the EXPReS
Project
• JRA1 “FABRIC”
• SA1 Production Services
• Each of these activities address different aspects of the effort to
take advantage of advanced network technologies in support of
e-VLBI
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
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Conclusion
Questions/Answers
•
Contact information
T. Charles Yun
Project Manager
EXPReS (JIVE)
tcyun \at\ jive dot nl
•
Additional Information
http://expres-eu.org/
http://www.jive.nl/
•
[note: only one “s”]
EXPReS is made possible through the support of the European
Commission (DG-INFSO), Sixth Framework Programme,
Contract #026642
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 15
Extra Interesting Bits
Do we really need networks?
• Fully loaded carrying capacity of a 747 cargo carrying Blu-Ray
DVDs
• 37 Tbps
• However
• Latency: buy 1,488,800 DVDs (€€), burn each (2 years @ 1
second burn/DVD), hand label (lots of Sharpie pens), box
DVDs, transport to airport, load, fly (€€€) time, unload (€),
sort boxes, read each DVD...
• Pack Loss: rare, but fairly devastating when you lose “one
packet”
• Every transport is unique, no re-use of media.
Source:
http://dltj.org/2006/07/internet2-hopi-network
http://walt.lishost.org/?p=344
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 16
Conclusion
How much data does e-VLBI create?
• 19 Telescope sites
• 1 Gbps data rates
• Correlator is currently located in Dwingeloo
• fiber cross-section is into the correlator is non-trivial
• e-VLBI science runs can last for arbitrarily long periods of time,
but 3 weeks runs are not unusual
• 19 sites x 1 day x 512 Mbps
= 19 sites x 86400 seconds x 512 Mbps
= 840,499,200 Mbits
= ~105 TeraBytes per day
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 17
General Notes and Information
Networking activities
• NA1: Management of I3
•
Provides resources to effectively manage the EXPReS I3 project. The objective is to efficiently manage EXPRES and
monitor the overall progress of the project goals, in particular the realisation of a production-level e-VLBI infrastructure.
Responsible for the overall financial management of the project and the generation of annual and final reports via input
from the chairs of the NA, SA and JRAs.
• NA2: EVN-NREN Forum
•
Partially supports a forum in which representatives of the networking and radio astronomy technical community will meet
and interact with each other, including day-to-day communication via the on-line EVN-NREN email forum. The objective
is to ensure that both communities are effectively engaged and that together they agree and move forward on the solutions,
objectives and development priorities within EXPReS.
• NA3: e-VLBI Science Forum
•
Partially support the activities of the e-VLBI Science Advisory Group (eVSAG). The objectives of this activity will be to
ensure that e-VLBI end-users are well informed and organised about EXPReS developments and can provide critical
review of the project’s evolution. This group will also help promote & develop the full potential of the e-VLBI technique
as an astronomical application.
• NA4: e-VLBI Outreach, Dissemination & Communications
•
Partially supports outreach and communication aspects of the EXPReS I3. Objectives include: creation of the EXPReS
web-site (addressing public outreach, project management and end-user communication requirements), general promotion
of EXPReS to the broad scientific and networking communities via a programme of PR activities.
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 18
General Notes and Information
Specific Service & Research Activities
• SA1: Production e-VLBI Service
•
A programme of integration and development that will provide astronomers (and other end-users) with a production level
e-VLBI infrastructure service, capable of servicing and robustly processing e-VLBI data streams of up to 16 Gbps (net) at
the EVN data processor at JIVE. The objectives will be to realise a distributed scientific instrument with unique
capabilities - an e-VLBI infrastructure operating in real-time - a service that will be expandable to include input from up to
16 telescopes located across the planet (including individual telescopes of the UK e-MERLIN array).
• SA2: Network Provision for a Global e-VLBI Array
•
A programme of network communication provision that will permit radio telescopes across Europe and the rest of the
world to obtain last mile connections to high-speed communication networks that can be connected to national research
networks and international communication networks, in particular GÉANT.
• JRA1: Future Arrays of Broadband Radio Telescopes on Internet
Computing
•
A research project that looks towards the future hardware and software requirements that will enable the development of
an e-VLBI facility in which data flows of ~ 10-30 Gbps per telescope can be reliably sustained and processed. The main
objectives are to design and prototype an e-VLBI data acquisition platform (based on COTS hardware), investigate
transport mechanisms and identify protocols that are optimal for e-VLBI, develop a software correlator (e-VLBI data
processor) that can run on standard workstations and take advantage of distributed Grid computing resources.
2006 November 02 Tuesday
SURFnet/JIVE- Gigaport Astronomy Seminar
Slide #: 19