Infrastructure and Cyberinfrastructure: Two Communities Divided by a Common Language

1. Infrastructure and Cyberinfrastructure:Two Communities Divided by a Common Language Kyran D. Mish Presidential Professor of Structural Engineering Director, Donald G. Fears Structural Engineering Laboratory University of Oklahoma, Norman Oklahoma

2. So Why am I Here, Anyway? • Professional Background • Earthquake Engineering (structures, bridges, dams, infrastructure) • National Security IT/HPC Research and Development • Established LLNL Center for Computational Engineering • Interfaces of Simulation, IT, and INFOSEC for LLNL Engineering • Also served as acting CIO for LLNL Engineering Directorate • Currently providing technology and project management expertise and oversight for NSF/Engineering NEES MRE • Primary focus has been on the NEESgrid project (SI award) • This project lies at the interface of infrastructure and cyberinfrastructure realms, a.k.a. where I’ve spent my career

3. Consider Infrastructure • Buildings, bridges, dams, pipelines, etc… • The technological stuff of our society Images courtesy of LLNL Engineering Directorate

4. So What is Infrastructure? • Merriam Webster Dictionary: • the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization), • the permanent installations required for military purposes, • the system of public works of a country, state, or region, • the resources (as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity. • Alternatively, that which we cannot live without (i.e., the ubiquitous underpinnings of our society)

5. So What is Cyberinfrastructure? • Just add “cyber” and see what happens… • the underlying information technology foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization), • the permanent information technology installations required for military purposes, • the system of public information technology works of a country, state, or region, • the information technology resources (as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity. • Alternatively, the ubiquitous information technology underpinnings of our society

6. The Spectrum of Engineering Practice • New fields begin at left edge, migrate to right edge Research Development Practice --High-Risk/Reward --Creative skills --Long lead-times --Marginal customer ties --Reduction to practice --Management skills --Short lead-times --Stronger customer ties --Rule-based --Technical skills --Innovation is not necessarily good! Research Examples: Microprocessor design Architectural engineering Machine intelligence Practice Examples: Public works Residential Construction Systems integrators

7. Federal R&D Spending (CNSR) • 6.1 Basic Research • supports research that produces new knowledge in a scientific or technology area • 6.2 Applied Research • supports the exploratory development of new technologies for specific military applications or further development of existing technology • 6.3 Advanced Technology Development • supports larger scale hardware development, integration, and experiments that demonstrate capability in more operationally realistic settings • Where should infrastructure and cyberinfrastructure funding reside within this funding taxonomy? What should NSF’s role be in the development of infrastructure and CI?

8. Infrastructure vs. Cyberinfrastructure • Characteristics of Infrastructure Culture • Risk averse, which leads to slow technology adoption • Code-based practice to defend against litigation • Follow community wants/needs whenever possible • Goal is highest reliability, e.g., MTBF • Characteristics of Cyberinfrastructure Culture • High-risk, “innovate or die” approach to technology • Best-practices approach leaves legal issues dangling • Develop technology, then look for a market • Goal is highest performance, e.g., TFLOPS

9. How We Develop Infrastructure • Multi-tiered structure for R&D • NSF: basic engineering research • TRB: development and reduction-to-practice • FHWA, AASHTO, and DOTs: deployment of innovations that are successful and feasible • Clear lines of demarcation exist • Don’t do research on production facilities • Use funds from production to support R&D • When in doubt, overbuild!

10. How We Harden Infrastructure • Build in protection against natural and man-made hazards (e.g., proximity, architecture) • How do we harden our cyberinfrastructure? Khobar Towers Murrah Federal Building

11. How Should We Develop CI? • Our R&D facilities are all-too-often also serving as our production capabilities • Result: cyberinfrastructure is not hardened • DDOS attack on root servers in Oct 21, 2002 • Code Red, Nimda, MS/SQL internet worms • What can we expect next? And when? • Which CI organizations should serve as analogs for state DOT’s, TRB, etc.? • What funding mechanisms will support CI?

12. How Should We Harden CI (cybersecurity)? • Consider recent WP news stories on this topic: • In his first appearance on Capitol Hill since leaving the White House in February, former cybersecurity czar Richard Clarke warned lawmakers against the "dangerous" tendency to dismiss the consequences of an attack on the nation's computer networks. • Clarke suggested shifting funds for cybersecurity research and development away from the National Science Foundation in favor of federally funded national labs like Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore, and MITRE Corp., a nonprofit group that works with the Defense Dept. • Should these developments affect our roadmap for CI? • What is the best role for NSF/Engineering?

13. Summary • Consider the term “infrastructure” • What characteristics does it imply? • When deploying information technology: • Is the goal a production capability? • What are roles of performance and reliability? • Consider roles of R&D investment • Exploratory research vs. reduction-to-practice • Questions and Answers