Studio 204
Description
As ITS deploys lab and classroom environments in which students and faculty can create large, rich media files (e.g. video, audio blogging, animations, and simulations), we need ways to mange those files for our customers. ET staff are investigating and prototyping solutions for this problem while working in collaboration with ITS' Classroom and Lab Computing (CLC) Group. Our original prototype is in Studio 204, which is located in the Undergraduate Library, Pollock Computer Lab.
Several potential solutions have been identified:
- Local Storage Attached Network (SAN) or Network Attached Storage (NAS) with fibre channel (FC) connectivity direct to the workstations.
- Remote SAN served over the Penn State Integrated Backbone:
- What speed and protocols could we use? 1Gbps, 5Gbps, 10Gbps?
- What protocols? Fibre Channel over IP (FC over IP)?
- What file system? GPFS? NFSv4? (Or even NFSv3 or SMB on the gateway machine as MacOS doesn't support NFSv4.)
Staff will try a variety of solutions, identify pros and cons, performance, and bottlenecks of each solution.
Publications
N/A
Resources
Primary ET Contact
Al Williams, alw@psu.edu
Collaborators
Classroom and Lab Computing (CLC), a group within Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT), a unit of Information Technology Services (ITS), and Studio 204 staff
Expected Deliverable(s)
As a cooperative project with CLC, we will build prototype solutions for managing and delivering large files (50GB or better) with the initial target being something usable for Studio 204 and the multimedia lab (both in Pollock) by Fall 2007. In the long run, we would like to develop a general solution capable of serving multiple locations or being able to replicate the Studio 204 solution for additional locations.
Level of ET Involvement
This is a joint project with CLC. We are purchasing and helping to deploy and test prototype equipment and software that will be turned over to CLC at the conclusion of the evaluation.
Initiative Start Date
August 2006