Data Grid: Storage Resource Broker

1. Data Grid: Storage Resource Broker Mike Smorul <toaster@umiacs.umd.edu>

2. SRB Overview • Developed at San Diego Supercomputing Center. • Provides the abstraction mechanisms needed to implement data grids, digital libraries, and persistent archives for data sharing, data publication, and data preservation.

3. SRB Concepts: Architecture

4. MCAT RDBMS Oracle Client SRB Server SRB Server SRB Server SRB Server User Storage Driver Storage Driver Storage Driver Storage Space Storage Space Storage Space SRB Concepts: Components MCAT SRB Server SRB Vault SRB Vault SRB Vault

5. SRB Concepts: Access control • Granular access permissions including: • Multiple primary owners of grid objects • Restrictions on collection and metadata browsing • Resource restrictions • Standard unix-like permissions • Distributed access through domains within sites and across SRB zones

6. SRB Concepts: Federation • A Federation enables SRB zones to recognize and interact with other zones it opens many possibilities in the types of interaction • Federation Enables Fragmentation of MCAT Database An MCAT fragment coming down due to network or system failure does not bring the entire SRB down. The other sections continue to provide the server leaving only one section temporarily inaccessible. • With federation, meta data can be made to reside closer to the resource by hosting a MCAT server closer to the resource. This enables reducing network latency, thus may enable an overall improvement in performance when an SRB network spans across large geographical distance. • Federation enables local administrative control of resources enabling the notion of Virtual Organizations (VO) and also make it easy for a new VO to join the network • It also enables easy replication and transfer of documents between VO

7. Implemented Standards/Protocols • GSI based authentication • Globus tickets can be used to authenticate against the SRB • MATRIX project provides a WSDL interface into the SRB • Able to interface and abstract standard storage devices

8. Interfaces to the SRB • Scommands • Unix file system like interface • Versions available for Unix, Dos and Mac • inQ – • Windows Explorer style interface • Version available for Windows • My SRB • Web Browser interface • Client access API • C API • JARGON – Java API to SRB. • MATRIX – SRB Workflow management system

9. Metadata • System level (checksums, guid, structural) • Application level per object or collection • User-defined attributes (attribute/value pairs) • Extensible schema on mcat • Database Access Interface (SQL passthrough) • Bulk operations on Metadata, upload

10. Maturity • SDSC controlled SRB installations: • >4,900 users • 17 Installations • NARA, Teragrid, BIRN… • 50.2 million files • 305Tb total storage

11. Support • Community and developer support • Srb-chat mail list • Bugzilla for bug/feature tracking • Limited developer access • Periodic workshops

12. Open/Proprietary • Mostly open-source license • Free to academic and government research groups. • http://www.sdsc.edu/srb/srbOpenSource.html • Commercial services need to contact UCSD Technology transfer office.

13. Setup Cost • Simple setup of MCAT and first srb master • Autoinstall script to configure database, srb, and storage resource • UMD setup in under two hours. • GUI based administration utility • Multiple interfaces to allow for simple client access • Large SRB installations may require database expertise for maintaining MCAT database

14. Future Plans • OGSA compliant interface • Expanded Federation capabilities depending on community needs • See Bugzilla for more • http://srb.npaci.edu/bugzilla/

15. More Information • SRB website • http://www.sdsc.edu/srb/