Tom, You should have my report of these problems as well as log files from last november. I can dig them up and resend if necessary. And it's not just me, others also have similar issues. I know Ben Green at UK Manchester has similar issues.
-gurcharan Thomas Uram wrote: > Gurcharan: > > Can you elaborate this point for us so we can fix it before going to > 3.2 final? > >> We are running AG 3.1 b/c >> 3.2beta breaks the mpeg4 and extended services that we need. > > > > > On May 10, 2009, at 11:09 PM, Gurcharan S. Khanna wrote: > >> Cameron, >> >> Yes, it was me. The larger project is the RIT Global Collaboration >> Grid, which envisions >> using the highest possible technology to create a single virtual >> space for all of RIT's sites. >> >> See http://rc.rit.edu/collaborationgrid.html for an overview. >> >> The current architecture for this distributed yet coordinated set of >> nodes is simply standard >> AG nodes. To reduce maintenance and enable others to contribute with >> minimum cost and >> headaches, I have been asked to move closer to an appliance model, >> where I would specify >> the hardware and software exactly so that it would be guaranteed to >> work first time, every >> time. While I have been reluctant to go in this direction, it's >> obviously the only way to get >> the buy-in I need to move quickly and credibly to deploy the >> collaboration grid. (Actually, >> I would like to go even further and develop a 'thin-client' ag node >> but that's another story...). >> >> So, we just ordered parts for ten little computers which balanced >> small form factor with cost >> from NewEgg and GovConnection. Our original spec was to be able to >> send one DVTS >> stream and receive at least five, using the extendedvideoservices in >> the access grid. We tested >> the first one with this spec and it passed (except for the onboard >> GigE) so we ordered ten more >> but with a PCI GigE card. However, we really probably want to do some >> H.264/Mpeg4 as well >> but we need to run benchmarks for that still. Anticipating that we >> ordered five systems with a >> dual core processor and five with a quad core processor to see what >> the difference would be. >> The mpeg4 encoding has been quite intensive especially when you get >> up to 720 and 1080 >> resolutions so it's a real concern. We also required firewire ports >> for the DVTS. So far, we >> have only run WindowsXP but intend to try out a linux as well. We are >> running AG 3.1 b/c >> 3.2beta breaks the mpeg4 and extended services that we need. >> >> Here are the student-built computer specs: >> >> Motherboard, AMD 780G, Phenom FX, MATX, Max 8GB $82.00 >> DDR2, PCIEX16, PCIEX, 2PCI, GBE, Vid, Aud, SATA,RAID Asus Computer Intl. >> >> Processor, Phenom II X4 940 Black Edition 3GHz, 6MB L3 $240.00 >> Cache, 1800MHz FSB, Box AMD >> >> ATX Desktop Chassis, PSI300 PS, 4U, 1394, Black $60.00 >> In-win Developement >> >> 1GB PC2-6400 240-pin DDR2 SDRAM DIMM $11.25 (x4) >> Kingston Technology Corp. >> >> Processor, Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 2.8GHz, 1MB L2 Cache, Box $73.00 >> AMD >> >> Intel Pro 1000 / GT - OEM Single $27.00 >> >> 80GB WD Cavier Blue SATA Internal HD 8MB Cache, $36.00 >> 7200 RPM Western Digital >> >> For audio (when needed) we are standardizing on Phoenix Duet >> Executive USB echo >> cancelling mics at $180 and for cameras, the cheapest firewire Sony, >> DCR-HC52 MiniDV >> Handycam® Camcorder $249.99 List Price. Output display devices will >> vary with location >> and could be LCD panels or projectors. Different locations will also >> affect the audio solution. >> We don't have an inexpensive solution for a good, single mic echo >> canceller for a non-tabletop >> venue. >> >> I'd be happy to elaborate on any of this and why we chose it and >> where we're going. It's >> a somewhat moving target but we are trying to get something in place >> that will be adaptable >> as well. >> >> -gurcharan >> >> PS RIT Venue on the ANL server is where you can see where we're at at >> any point in time. -gsk >> >> >> Purvis, Cameron wrote: >>> >>> Hello, from Cameron at the University of Alabama! >>> >>> >>> I’m sorry if I have this mixed up: I believe that, in the AccessGrid >>> Town Hall meeting Tuesday morning, that I heard about RIT building >>> out small AccessGrid nodes based on inexpensive desktop computers. I >>> couldn’t make out the name of the speaker well but I think it may >>> have been you. The vision was to link several rooms together with >>> standardized units all in a grid venue. That sounds like something >>> that could be a very good demonstration of the technology here in >>> Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It also sounds like something that would be fun >>> to observe as the community starts to play with the technology. >>> >>> If you guys are working on something like that – a sort of >>> standardized design for small nodes – I’d love to be in touch with >>> the right person to talk about that. This is something I’d like to >>> replicate here, and would appreciate the chance to collaborate with >>> RIT. >>> >>> Thanks! >>> >>> -- >>> >>> Cameron Purvis >>> >>> University of Alabama Office of Information Technology, Research >>> >>> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> (205) 348-4677 >>> >> >> >> -- >> ------------------------- >> Gurcharan S. Khanna, Ph.D. >> Director of Research Computing >> Office of the Vice President for Research >> http://rc.rit.edu >> >> Assistant Research Professor, Ph.D. Program >> Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences >> http://people.rit.edu/gskpop >> >> Director, Interactive Collaboration Environments Laboratory, >> Center for the Advancing the Study of Cyberinfrastructure >> http://icelab.rit.edu >> --- >> Rochester Institute of Technology >> 1 Lomb Memorial Drive >> Rochester, New York 14623-5603 >> Phone: 585-475-7504 ~ Cell: 585-451-8370 >> Email: [email protected] >> > -- ------------------------- Gurcharan S. Khanna, Ph.D. Director of Research Computing Office of the Vice President for Research http://rc.rit.edu Assistant Research Professor, Ph.D. Program Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences http://people.rit.edu/gskpop Director, Interactive Collaboration Environments Laboratory, Center for the Advancing the Study of Cyberinfrastructure http://icelab.rit.edu --- Rochester Institute of Technology 1 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, New York 14623-5603 Phone: 585-475-7504 ~ Cell: 585-451-8370 Email: [email protected]
