PHBQ_20110324

PhytoBisque

Topic: Discuss how Bisque can make use of IRODS

Present:

Notes:

Kris gave a very brief overview of Bisque

Nirav explained that PhytoBisque is a collaboration between iPlant, Bisque and Edgar Spalding (plant scientist at U. Wisconsin) to combine Bisque's image management platform with image analysis algorithms being developed for plant science research.

iPlant's central storage is IRODS driven, so want Bisque to be able to use IRODS.

Benefit to Bisque is that then all of iPlant's users can use Bisque seamlessly.

Kris and Mike discussed

Kris' experience using IRODS' fuse to transfer file. He found it to be a bit slow.

Mike will look into when improvements in fuse (e.g., multi-threading) were done.

Kris: Wants to use scalable web as desgn paradigm. As files get into system, can fetch by url’s. Don’t just move files around on the grid, pass urls to files around. Fetch data resources as needed.

Mike: iCommands is the primary interface to IRODS (not fuse). 

Gave a quick demo of iDrop.

Explained that since network connections can and will fail during large transfers, they are designing with that in mind. System will monitor transfer and can restart.

Has a Synchronization function too so data set files in different locations can be kept consistent.

Can work with federated data resources. 

A zone is like an institution. Resources are the storage resources (at TACC and UA; at different sites on same campus).

Nirav: iPlant's goal is to have a unified data management system.

Mike: IRODS does have the ability to subset data. Use a policy or micro service.

Kris would like to know how an IRODS url handler could be built. 

Mike: Can do that url fetch. 

Nirav: The restful API Rion is working on may make it easier.