SC99 Birds of a Feather
User Services Working Group

Existing Sources of Information and
Resources Starting Point for this WG

1. NLANR provides user services and this WG can leverage some effort
   from there, giving due credit to get information from the DAST/NLARN site.

2. CALREN has an applications chair who could provide more information
   and direction.

3. NYSERNet also has useful info.

At first these were all links, but now descriptions have been added.
NLANR provides user services.

To start the user services WG, we should build and augment the
Repository:  New information from

             -Exploration E-Grid
             -Send e-mail to all working groups. At
              the present time, expertise is now contained within one
              or two people who are super users.

Ginny has agreed to collect info as it comes in.

One starting point is looking over conference proceedings from HPDC
which has information about applications.  However, documentation is
a bit lacking for this.

The DCE effort focussed at the technical folks not the scientific
user.

The present scheme is unique as various grid environments coming
together for the first time. Levels of complexity is higher by an
order of maginitude.  Problems from someone else's administrative
domain, with several different systems for handling issues (such as
trouble tickets for instance).

This WG should take the lead and be an advocate for facilitating
policy discussion across organzations, take the users perspective and
become "user advocates* asking the tough questions.  One WG chair
Randy Bush recognized this important facet and asked "what do users
want from remote I/O" requesting a paper with requirements.

A good idea: what each WG requires from each other. As an example Lee
wants to see what users want from the Globus Group such as
documentation etc.

John and Rita: A white paper of requirements to would need to be developed.

Two organizations already going in this direction.

NPACI plans for computing systems and Alliance plans (NLARN)

Some of the issues to be addressed.

1.
2. When things do not work, to report them, so deveoper can fix stuff
   and next batch of users will not see the same problem again.

Proposed Milestones for Upcoming Year
(aka the big picture)

Three milestones were proposed:
* Build a "clearing house" containing information about the grid
   - Provide links to applications, middleware web sites/pages
   - Contain or provide pointers to documentation
     and training for support staff and end-users
     (def. end-users as user community at large)
   - Solicit input for content from other GF WGs;
     other contacts (DOE, ASCI, etc.)

* Identify services and tools for support staff and end-users
   - Define what is needed to provide these services/tools
   - Define the requirements to provides about the grid
   - Provide links to applications, middleware
     web sites/pages
   - Contain or provide pointers to documentation
     and training for support staff and end-users
     (def. end-users as user community at large)
   - Solicit input for content from other GF WGs;
     other contacts (DOE, ASCI, etc.)

* Identify services and tools for support staff
   and end-users
   - Define what is needed to provide these services/tools
   - Define the requirements to provides these services/tools 
     and "export" to appropriate GF WGs

* Assume role as support staff/end-user advocate
   - Create a venue by which successes/accomplishments
     as well as what is not working can be presented
     to GF WGs
   - Use this venue to point out those aspects of
     the successes/deficiencies which are useful to
     support staff/end-users

Please send edits or updates for this working group to virginia@ncsa.uiuc.edu.

posted 20 December 1999