MSS tool, SCD Portal to facilitate access to NCAR computing resources

This week SCD's Infrastructure Applications Group releases the Mass Storage System Decision Support Tool to the NCAR user community. The new tool, which has just finished friendly-user testing, allows users to search for and manipulate their MSS holdings via the web.

Scientific researchers and data archivists with MSS files will now be able to log in using their gatekeeper password and perform tasks that were formerly executable only via UNIX commands: viewing file metadata; searching for files by science number, project number, or path name; updating last-reference times; and deleting files.

Future releases of the MSS tool will feature more search capabilities (including the ability to search files by creation date, last-modified date, and retention period) and the ability to change passwords. Currently a self-contained utility, the MSS tool will soon be incorporated into the SCD Portal.

Next up: The SCD Portal

While they have been developing the MSS Decision Support Tool, the Infrastructure Applications Group has also been hard at work creating the SCD Portal, a customizable browser interface to NCAR computing resources. The portal, which will enter friendly-user testing this summer, will allow users to submit and control jobs to the supercomputers, monitor job progress, and access and maintain user-generated data—all via the web.

The portal will provide a set of user-configurable screens, including a configurable user home page that will be displayed after the user logs in. Users will be able choose what resources and functionalities they'd like to see on their pages—for instance, news, machine status, and job submission.

The SCD Portal will simplify work for users who will no longer have to memorize commands to access NCAR computing resources—they'll be able to just point and click.

IAG's mission

The Infrastructure Applications Group (IAG) provides integrated software solutions to the university community and SCD to facilitate easier access to NCAR/SCD high-performance computing resources. Through this support they enable science, increase user productivity, and further the transfer of knowledge. Their home page is here.