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Mounting the Grid into the UNIX and Windows File Systems
Karolina Sarnowska, University of Virginia
Overview: In our work, we mount the Grid directly into the UNIX and Windows environments. Specifically, we enable access to files registered in LCG File Catalogs (LFCs), the file catalogue technology currently used in the EGEE Grid. We accomplish this by utilizing existing Open Grid Forum (OGF) standards-based technologies. By grafting the Grid onto a familiar file system infrastructure, we increase ease-of-use and expand the Grid's reach to more users. Analysis: Our work is based on two OGF specifications: Resource Naming Service (RNS) and ByteIO. Together, these two specifications enable basic access to and manipulation of grid resources. Recently, two web services, SNARL and SABLE, have been developed to implement these specifications for LFCs. We combine the functionality of SNARL and SABLE with the services of another grid system, Genesis II. Genesis II is a standards-based grid system that also implements the RNS and ByteIO specifications. Genesis II provides a Java-based FUSE file system implementation that enables mounting the Grid namespace directly into the UNIX environment. Additionally, Genesis II provides an installable filesystem implementation called G-ICING that enables access to the Grid namespace via the standard Windows interface. We use Genesis II's FUSE and G-ICING services in cooperation with the SNARL and SABLE services to mount files registered in LFCs into the UNIX and Windows file systems. Impact: Our work provides direct access to Grid files that are registered in LFCs. Currently, interaction with LFCs is accomplished by using the LFC command line interface or by programming using APIs. Our work enables access to LFC entries as if dealing with regular files on the local file system. The Genesis II FUSE file system works just like any other mount on a UNIX system. Users are able to make the normal file and directory operations. This makes it much easier for users to write programs or shell scripts that automatically utilize Grid files. For the Windows user, the Genesis II G-ICING service will map Grid resources registered in LFCs into the local Windows operating system under the "G" drive. G-ICING converts Windows file system requests to web services calls on Grid files and directories. Thus, our work enables Grid resources registered in LFCs to become much more accessible to users and their applications by using RNS and ByteIO-based interfaces. Conclusions and Future Work: Our work utilizes interfaces to the OGF RNS and ByteIO specifications to mount files registered in LFCs into the UNIX and Windows environments. Our solution employs existing Grid services together in a new way. The next step is to enhance this technology with security. Both Genesis II's FUSE and G-ICING support security features while SNARL and SABLE are scheduled to have security incorporated. Our work will be to make these services' security interoperate successfully.
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