GSIMF: A Grid Software Installation Management Framework

79653S To process the vast amount of data from high energy physics experiments, physicists are developing programs that use the Computing Grid for their computational resources. Although many data analysis codes exist, and many more are being developed, the distribution, installation, and updating of different versions of different programs over the Grid environment is complicated, time-consuming, and error-prone. This project will develop a Grid Software Installation Management Framework for managing software applications on computing elements over the Grid infrastructure. A set of Grid services and tools will automate the software installation management process by installing and removing software packages on behalf of users. In Phase I, prototype Grid services for querying available software packages and installing software on remote Grid computing elements will be built. A number of different software installation management strategies using these two basic services will be explored. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The framework should find uses in various data intensive applications, such as nuclear physics experiments (e.g., RHIC), space science observations, and climate modeling. It is essential to allow Grid users to remotely install programs easily and tap into the computing power provided by the Grid.