UCL HEP Group
Computing Update (Mar-2000)

CURRENT ORGANISATION

Computing centered around 4 systems:

Tru64 UNIX	Tru64 UNIX	SMP Linux	NT4
----------	----------	---------	---
Alpha-stn	Alpha-stn	DELL dual-proc PC	DELL PC
500/400	XP1000	Precision Wkstn 610	Optiplex
EV5	EV6	2 * Pentium Xeon	Pentium
400 MHz	500 MHz	2 * 400 MHz	200 MHz
512 MB	128 MB	128 MB	64 MB
DLT 7000	DLT 4000	DLT 3000	Travan
9/9/9/9 GB	18/18 GB	9/18 GB	2/10 GB
(StorageWorks)	(StorageWorks)	(internal)	Internal

Operating systems

Main o/s is UNIX (Tru64 & Linux).
NT is used where necessary.
VMS is no longer accessible to users.

Desktops

Our desktops currently comprise about 30 PCs, plus 4 Alphastations and 3 X-terminals.
About 2/3 of our PCs run Linux.
Remaining 1/3 run NT with access to UNIX system via Exceed and Samba.
Dual-booting PCs largely abandoned because of management problems.
Our original plan to keep all NT machines identical has proved impractical to maintain (due to e.g. hardware differences, software licencing, different peripherals, individual requirements).

Storage

Our main disk is in StorageWorks boxes, but is not RAID.
Backup is to DLT on each of the 3 main machines.

Networking

Most machines interconnected via 3-Com 10/100 Mbps Ethernet switches over Cat5 UTP at 100 Mbps (good for security as well as network performance and load).

LAN now connected to recently-installed College Gigabit Ethernet backbone.

Useful facilities

high-volume printers (B/W & colour)
modem access from home (pity that ADSL looks so expensive)
laptops (acquiring these gradually as the opportunity arises)
video-conferencing (but so far mainly in the studio)
conference phone (not really computing, but relevant to video-conferencing)
scanner
CD-writer

Software

Most of our most useful software is free via GNU, or provided via DEC Campus.

Bought software includes:

AFS, MS-Office, FrameMaker, Visual C++, Mathematica, MS-Project, AutoCAD LT, Adobe Illustrator

PLANS

Main change is due to realisation of expected data-handling load from new experimental involvements.
Must plan to routinely handle datasets up to 100 GB.
=> Funding requests for multi-cpu systems with large attached disk arrays.

CONCERNS

How to handle order of magnitude increase in local data-handling requirements.
Management overload does not go away - mainly because "software" personnel are occupied with experimental commitments. Dropping VMS & making NT a secondary system have helped, but security measures and new software & peripherals make new demands.
Original desktop PCs becoming obsolete - will need to start upgrading soon.
Encountered first need to purchase expensive software for involvement in future experiments (Together for OO development in ATLAS).
What do we do about Windows-2000? Drag our feet probably, but the College is planning on making its move to NT in this version.
We have some concern that SUNs might be becoming flavour of the day & we have none!

RC / rc@hep.ucl.ac.uk / 11-Nov-1999

UCL HEP Group Computing Update (Mar-2000)