(r388) StatusReport < Imager

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<p ALIGN="center"><font size="5" color="#48454B">Imager-Tech Weekly 
Meeting & Open Problems List</font></p>
<p ALIGN="LEFT"><br>
<b><font color="#48454B">Every Tuesday @ 11:30-12:30 <br>
Core Attendees: Robert Bridson(faculty rep), Glen Lee(tech staff rep), Brad Atcheson(linux/mac rep), Cheryl Lau(meeting coordinator), Ernesto Torres(software manager)<br>
Venue: 8th floor lounge</font></b></p>
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---++++ [Template] Title
---++++++ Date Opened: mmm dd, yyyy
---++++++ Impact: 1 = workaround identified, 2 = inconvenience, 3 = research affected, 4 = research might not be completed, 5 = critical/large scale impact
---++++++ Contact Person: Name
---++++++ Issue: Description (help desk number, if assigned)
---++++++ Updates: 
   * Update 1.

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---++++ Installation of !SuSE Packages
---++++++ Date Opened: Feb 14, 2012
---++++++ Impact: 2 = inconvenience
---++++++ Contact Person: Robert, Brad
---++++++ Issue: If a user would like to install a package that is on the list of !SuSE supported packages but not included in the default install, could the user send an email to help desk to get the package installed?
---++++++ Updates: 
   * Feb 14: Tech staff may have declined installation of some !SuSE packages to make it easier to track what is installed on each machine.  But, if the user can request their desired packages after each re-install, then we don't need to worry about tracking what's on each machine.



---++++ cs/local vs. usr/bin
---++++++ Date Opened: Feb 14, 2012
---++++++ Impact: 1 = workaround identified
---++++++ Contact Person: Tech staff
---++++++ Issue: Originally, cs/local was used to override what came with the default distribution, but that's not really an issue anymore. Many of the programs in cs/local are old and no longer work.  User paths list cs/local before usr/bin, so sometimes users are directed to programs that don't work.  What dir should be listed first in users' paths?  Can cs/local be cleaned up?
---++++++ Updates: 
   * Feb 14: Example: cs/local/readlink does not work but the usr/bin version does.




---++++ Linux 12.1 Upgrade
---++++++ Date Opened: Jan 31, 2012
---++++++ Impact: 3 = research affected
---++++++ Contact Person: Imager Tech
---++++++ Issue: When will the imager upgrade to 12.1 happen?  Support ends in Sept.
---++++++ Updates: 
   * Feb 14: Brad volunteered his machine for early adoption of 12.1. Brad is in contact with Hazita regarding problems with 12.1.
   * Feb 14: !SuSE 12.1 includes "ownCloud", but it is not a soln to the "sharing large files" issue.
   * Feb 07: Tech staff is looking into the possibility of using dropbox.  Glen will get an update. 
   * Jan 31: When will the cluster be moved to 12.1? Cluster (currently 11.4) can support 12.1. Dave is contacting other users.
   * Jan 31: When will the upgrade happen for imager?  It should be in June or early July but no later to allow for Siggraph prep.



---++++ Sharing Large Files
---++++++ Date Opened: Jan 31, 2012
---++++++ Impact: 2 = inconvenience
---++++++ Contact Person: Anika, Wolfgang
---++++++ Issue: What is the best way to share large files with other universities?
---++++++ Updates: 
   * Feb 14: What if the dept got a 3TB FTP server?  Files would be automatically deleted in 3 days.  Anyone can access files.  Files can be encrypted.
   * Feb 14: It is not possible to symlink to machine dependent space like /var/tmp and /scratch.  We can access this space through scp, but then the user needs a login.
   * Feb 07: It is possible to create a symlink in your webpage space to files on !NetApps space (imager) or raid space.
   * Feb 07: There is 230MB on FTP server (47MB free today, (help desk uses it for !SuSE installs)).  Too small to use for transferring files.



---++++ ICICS Cluster Performance
---++++++ Date Opened: Jan 31, 2012
---++++++ Impact: 3 = research affected
---++++++ Contact Person: Hagit, Anika
---++++++ Issue: If you have processes that read/write a lot that you want to run on the cluster, what's the best way to run these processes?
---++++++ Updates: 
   * Feb 14: !PiCloud too expensive.
   * Feb 07: Brad has requested quotes for !PiCloud and Matlab Distributed Computing Server (which uses Torque scheduler).
   * Feb 07: Glen will ask if help desk will allow use of !PiCloud to create cluster with PSM's machines.  How will updates and patches work?
   * Feb 07: What is the future of the cluster?  What OS is it using?  Can it support 12.1?  Glen will ask Sean or Mike.



---++++ Meeting notes
   * Check [[ConferenceFreezeDates][Conference Freeze Dates]] page monthly and notify tech staff of any new freezes.
   * Check imager disk space list monthly for users over 25GB.
   * James is looking for replacement meeting coordinator when Cheryl leaves (~June) and Windows rep.
Topic revision: r388 - 2012-02-14 - cherylsl