Future Capability/Architecture Collaborative Portals for Education and Computing

1. Future Capability/Architecture Collaborative Portalsfor Education and Computing Geoffrey Fox Florida State University Department of Computer Science and CSIT (School of Computational Science and Information Technology) 400 Dirac Science Library Tallahassee Florida 32306-4130 fox@csit.fsu.edu http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

2. Driving Requirements I • We want to maximize productivity of DoD MSRC (distributed center) or NSF Supercomputer center user • At Florida State University, I direct CSIL – a facility that will have 2.5 teraflops peak 680 CPU IBM configuration by fall 2001 (currently 168 CPU) • To justify state/university investment in new School/facility, we need to proactively enable traditional (usually simulation) and new (often information) disciplines to integrate computation in education and research • I plan to design and deliver customized hardware/software portals that will enable the (most) productive use by distributed users – either in their department or from their favorite beach. http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

3. Driving Requirements II • DoD personnel need ongoing continuing education (training) to deliver on their responsibilities in this changing world • Busy schedules and minimizing travel suggests (asynchronous) web-based instruction • Florida has more students than will fit in current infrastructure and must use distance education with substantial interactivity – especially for less experienced users • Here I am chief technologist of FSU’s Office for Distributed and Distance Learning • Need to provide mobile portals (recommended PC’s, electronic books etc.) matching available wired and wireless infrastructure • Support mobile teacher and students http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

4. What does Computer User Want? • Submit jobs and analyze results at any time and place • Central facility (even if it has a nifty CAVE) is perhaps least attractive option • ASCI has major program to bring visualization to scientist’s office • Generalizing this, (CSIL) portal has • Hardware and Software for visualization • Web Submittal, Information(help) and analysis • LAN (high speed) and WAN(yucky speed) Wireless hardware and software for standalone or assistive (control traditional screen) palmtop interface • In following, we will only discuss software portals for workstation or palmtop access via wired or wireless Web http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

5. What is a Web Portal? • It is a “just” a web-based application • Commodity Portal is Web-based Information Source (Yahoo) or Shop (Amazon) • Enterprise Information Portal is “Lotus Notes done right” • Education Portal is a Web-based University • Computing Portal is a “Problem Solving Environment” • Well defined Interfaces based on • Grid Forum -- Computing • IMS/ADL/IEEE LTSC -- Education • And a set of Services and Tools http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

6. Portals in Computing and Education • Merrill Lynch predicts that Enterprise Information portal market will be $15B by 2002 • Unfortunately it is not trivial to re-use some key commodity systems as they do not provide the right level of interfaces to add capabilities like collaboration and security • We must adopt architecture that maximizes chance that can use new commercial capabilities when they become available • Multi-media, Handheld infrastructure are areas where industry ahead of academia Hardest Problem Wish to re-usecomponents betweenEducation and Computing http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

7. Hierarchy of Portals and Their Technology ……... ……... Generic Portals Portal Building Tools and Frameworks (XUL, Ninja, iPlanet, E-Speak, Portlets, WebSphere, www.desktop.com) Collaboration Universal Access Security ……. Generic Services User customization, component libraries,fixed channels Information Services Databases ……. Enterprise Portals Quizzes Grading ... www.computingportals.org Education Services Compute Services Grid Services Visualization ... MathML etc Education andTraining Portals Science Portals K-12 University Biology Chem Egy http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

8. Portals think of things as objects and services System View User View RenderingEngine CORBA or Java Broker or Server Objects XML Requestfor service followed byreturn of XMLresult XML Browser(HTML) RenderingEngine Universal Interfaces IDL or XML “Computing Portals”portalML Interface www.computingportals.org “Grid Forum”resourceML Interface www.gridforum.org IMS and DoD SCORM only have one interface (client server not 3 tier) http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

9. Different Computing Paradigms Task Spec. Middle-Tier Resource Spec. Example: LMS General or WebFlowSpecific Authoring NCSA Alliance Prototype Version Example: DoD HPCMO ASC/ARL WebFlow Object Oriented WebFlow DataFlow Custom GUI Layered PSE https, IIOP/SECIOP Computing Portal portalML Control(SmallMessages) WebFlow Middle Tier Grid Forum API(resourceML) HPCC: Globus Separated from Data DBMS: JDBC user codes Small tasks: Java Other as needed http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

10. Services in Computing Portals • Security • Fault Tolerance • Object Lookup and Registration • Object Persistence and Database support (as in EIP’s) • Event and Transaction Services • Collaboration among scientists around world • Job Status as in HotPage (NPACI) and myGrid (NCSA) • File Services (as in NPACI Storage Resource Broker) • Support (XML based) computational science specific metadata like MathML, XSIL • Visualization • Programming • Application Integration (chaining services viewed as backend compute filters) • “Seamless Access” and integration of resources between different users/application domains • Parameter Specification Service (get data from Web form into Fortran program wrapped as backend object) AnyPortal http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

11. Education Specific Portal Services I • Administrative Structure • degrees, departments, lecturers, Deans ... • Performance (grading) information • Homework submission • Quizzes of various types (multiple choice, random parameters) • Assessmentdata and an analysis • Hierarchical Curriculum structure from document fragment to pageto lecture to course • Napster/Gnutella type distributed information system with personalized dynamic collections (analogy between CDROM of pirated music and dynamic lectures/personal info resource as in RealJukebox) http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

12. Education Specific Portal Services II • Glossaries with a middle tier glossary service to automatically link glossary entries to document fragments • Student Annotations • Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) enables simple authoring of TV-like multimedia presentations such as training courses on the Web • SVG, VML X3D etc. for pictures • MathML Mathematical Expressions • Agent type support for “Computer Tutor/Learning Management System” http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

13. Collaboration as a Portal Service • Shares Portal Objects • Building on lessons from Tango • Make intrinsically robust (“remove” browser) • Elegant approach to archiving • Make easier to make applications collaborative • Shared display • Uniform event services for sharing Java, JavaScript, Macromedia • “Outside” audio-video conferencing • Support workstation/PC and handheld devices • Integrate collaboration with portal http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

14. Collaborative Portal Data base Data base WebPage Persistent Store ofShared Courseware Events, User Info AsynchronousArchive and Access ResourceML Store Local Event QueueUser Specific Session Logic Real time Share Synchronous Lesson PersonalServer or Application PortalML “Client” HTML WML W3C WAI Rendering Standards http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

15. Use of Personal Server/Application • Uses a “personal server or local application (as in Yahoo Messenger)” (logically on client) to separate rendering and user/session logic • portalML is interface supported by this server • Removes sensitive logic from flaky browser • Supports handheld or Workstation display • Java Server pages are natural • Compatible with Gateway Security Model • Application (middle tier) server maps between portalML and resourceML • One can use many object models in middle tier • Could use emerging technologies such as E-Speak, Ninja, Jini, SOAP or “just” CORBA, Java CGI/Perl ... • Can be initially built from Gateway computing portal as this used two interfaces http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

16. Message Center Interface • Yahoo Messenger is an interesting model for a portal interface • Application that invokes browser • Runs on PC or Palmtop and “only” contains summary information suitable for Palms • Has services like file manipulation, send a message and set of custom buttons • Access News, Weather, Stocks etc. • Develop “Gateway Messenger” or “Learning Messenger” as control centers for these custom applications http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

17. Collaborative Portal Architecture XMLContent Pages Style Sheet / User Profile Customization Agent WebPage Content Web Server XMLContent Pages Shared Event Service Events Trapped by Browser or Generated by user or applicationand shared by Portal Style Sheet / User Profile Customization Agent http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

18. Each Collaborating Client Receives Events Queued Event Stream (Messages) PersonalServer …………. Web Page PDA • Event Stream becomes set of time stamped XML messages • Pager; Cell Phone; Email; Grid Status Messages • Collaboration Control Messages: e.g. New Participant Joined • User Customization specification • W3C or Java or Microsoft Client Shared Object Definition/Update Messages (e.g. Page Scrolled by such and such amount done as XML serialization of JavaScript Event object) Real-Time or off-line (i.e. synchronous or asynchronous)access of events which implicitly archive any session http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

19. Hand Held Internet • So we will have convenient hand-held devices linked to the “wireless internet” • Wireless Internet is basically the same as conventional Internet except that content is optimized for size and communication limitations of wireless systems • Current bandwidth is around 14.4 kbaud – “poor modem” • Maybe WAN Cellphone bandwidth will be limited for near future • “Bluetooth” standard should give hand-held devices megabit per second communication bandwidth for LAN • Wall Street Journal article on hand-held classroom August 2 2000 • Two positives for the wireless hand-held device • Cheaper than a PC (relevant for students) • More portable and more pervasively useable than a PC http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

20. Palmtop Computing • Some aspects of Computing are as convenient on a palmtop as a workstation • Status of Job • Submittal with modest changes in input data • Visualization and detailed analysis seem to be limited but seem to me areas of great interest for research • Maybe can use animation (video) of small image rather than traditional large image • Nice for control of a conventional large display in same room as user – more flexible that wireless mouse etc. http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

21. Real Time Collaborative Systems • Real time situations demand immediate response from anywhere expert • spacecraft reports unexpected problem • IMT test surprise • Commanders or field personnel in Crisis Management • Scientific analysis during aftershocks of Earthquake • Collaboration (must bring in special expert) and support of diverse displays – maybe critical person only has Palmtop – are particularly important in these application • Synchronous and asynchronous http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

22. WAKE UP! WAKE UP! page ALARM Caltech quake location, size -- page disp disloc JPL sorted station potential -- modem Dial Stations(and database) USGS station raw files -- page WAKE UP! GIPSY/auto_p JPL station motions -- JPL disloc simplex JPL --maps for civil authorities single-fault model multi-fault model Virtual_California Boulder (University of Colorado) web simplex JPL --graphics --refined fault model collaboration --graphics --hazard model http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

23. Collaboration in GEM Earthquake Analysis System http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

24. Features of the SMOP • SMOP is Space Mission Operations Portal • Portal to Space Internet • Real-time control for monitoring • Dataflow computing model for customized filtering of data • Direct connection to personal devices of mission or processing status changes • Information archived in databases at users request. During processing dynamic XML databases used • Ground stations are placed internationally (linked to the “Space Internet”) and so networking has international scope • Current NASA Contract (CSOC) for this is $3.5 Billion over 10 years for a team led by Lockheed Martin • Air Force also has a lot of interest in space operations? http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

25. SMOP: Space Mission Operations Portal Data base Data base Middle Tier: Application Servers/Object Brokers Satellite + Sensor(s) Relay Station or Filter,Monitor,Plan .. (Remote)Ground Station ComputeEngines ComputeEngines XML ComputingPortals Interface XML Grid ForumInterface or ……. or or http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

26. Hand Held Devices in Education • Cheaper and easier to carry around replacement for a laptop • For continuing education, preferred delivery device for busy professional on the run • Administrative issues – School events, class schedules, homework assignments, grades • Control Science experiments with add-on instruments (temperature, voltage, pH from ImagiWorks) • Analyse data as can emulate graphing calculator • Clearly very good for spontaneous quizzes with multiple choice or simple few character answers • Simple Notes by Students can be keyed to lecture if “Class Server” broadcasts “Teacher Time/Lecture Identifier” and lecture is stored on University Server indexed by “teacher time” http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

27. Collaboration with the Anywhere Student or Computational Scientist CollaborationServer http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

28. Hand Held Devices and Synchronous Collaboration • Looking at Systems like NetMeeting or TangoInteractive, “Control” Chat Room and “Audio/Simple Video” can be performed with Palm Like Device • Obviously Digital Cell Phone (either built into hand-held) or as wireless link for hand held allows student audio to be linked into class • “Delivery of Content” with e-book • Best for shared event systems like Tango so can use pointer to pre-downloaded content • White Board could use either e-book or standard hand-held • In collaborative computing, collaborative palmtop could control distributed displays • Palmtops support audio and chat rooms http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

29. Collaboration Issues • Busy users prefer asynchronous collaboration but require synchronous interactions in high value situations • The basic Web environment supports asynchronous collaboration – I post information, send you email; you look at what I did in your own time • Collaboration tools will only succeed if they are convenient to use and offer robust services that are competitive with alternative approaches • CRPC purchased PictureTel systems for all sites; clumsy to use and rather flaky operation; switched to simple telephone conferencing • Structured environments (training, briefings) easier to support than spontaneous unstructured research discussions • Infrastructure predictable and session more robust in structured case • Current (PC) hardware and software does not well support interactive sessions http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

30. Collaborative Components • Collaboration is sharing objects – either in real time (synchronous) or in your “own time” (asynchronous) • Many types of objects • Documents (Web Pages or PowerPoint or ..) • White Boards • Chat Rooms (or more general messages like mail) • Get Attention (Raise Hand) • Audio-Video Conferencing • Collaborative access to databases; writing proposals, technical reports etc. • Specialized “Content” – Collaborative Visualization • Collaborative Program Invocation (Computational Steering) • Brainstorming • Collaborative debugging (user—consultant interaction) • Collaborative data analysis tools • Collaborative Virtual Environments cf. Flight Simulators General and Administrative incl. Training Technical http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

31. Multiple Modes of Collaboration Sharing Functionality • Temporal Structure • Synchronous: Updates passed on immediately and ignored if client not online (Tango, Habanero) • Pager: Updates passed on immediately if client available; otherwise queued for later delivery. General “late-arrival” support • Push: Updates performed at given time interval (New York Times web site is updated every 10 minutes) • Asynchronous: Client chooses when to access and update shared object (You put up a Web Page. I eventually look at it) • Archive: Asynchronous record of one of other temporal models. • One should integrate support of all models? Temporal Structure http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

32. Collaboration Functionality • What features are shared and what can be customized on each client and how is sharing specified and implemented • Collaboration Unaware: No effort needed to make application collaborative -- this is shared display model of VNC, NetMeeting • Share desktop or individual windows • Share user generated events as well as pixels • Shared text or simple web page • Collaboration Aware: One must explicitly change application to specify how each event shared (Tango) • One can make this easier in particular application environments such as Javabeans • Collaboration Semi-aware: Shared display plus special menus which can be customized -- Promising Direction • Collaborative visualization (share 2D or 3D Image) • Quizzes (support general questions within a fixed shared infrastructure) • Whiteboard http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

33. Capabilities of a Collaborative Portal I • Is a portal! • Supports Collaborative University (Training Organizations) Network • Curriculum Modules are developed collaboratively and placed in standards compliant repository • Each University packages its programs separately according to requirements of students and stakeholders • University or specialized organization delivers material • Portal provides access to Shared repository for developers and users (teacher/students) in a learning instance • Supports Collaborative Computing with job preparation, data analysis/visualization and brainstorming on related science • Support Administrative functions associated with education and computing http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

34. Capabilities of a Collaborative Portal II • Supports an integrated collaboration model • synchronous and asynchronous (where latter includes not just Web Site but also archived synchronous sessions) • Shared display and different versions of “shared event” so that we can have for any application, “easy sharing” (no changes in application) and more powerful but harder to implement customized sharing • Interactive (as Buena Vista) and Buffered (one to a few seconds as in RealMedia) audio/video conferencing • In most classes over 90% of audio/video can use the much more reliable buffered versions • Assessment through archived events describing sessions http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

35. Capabilities of a Collaborative Portal III • Ability to support multiple display devices including hand held devices • User Customization • Universal Access by separation of session logic from rendering logic and ability to map session changes • Robust by minimizing code in browsers • Support multiple object models (W3C, Java, COM and CORBA) with common XML specification • Authoring support for diverse sources such as W3C DOM, Microsoft, Macromedia http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

36. Technical Features of Collaborative Portals II • Uses outside Audio-Video Conferencing (initially) • Access Grid and RealMedia seem good choices • Tight integration as in Tango’s BuenaVista and LecCorder seems unwise today as prevents use of powerful emerging systems • Event system supports and integrates events from all sub systems • XML Events (information nuggets) used for all user and dnamic information generated in a session • Can be shared in real time • Will be stored robustly for later asynchronous viewing • Event queue replicated for performance as in classic distributed database http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

37. Computing Portals will build on General Portal Standards • “portalML”(XUL) -- define the user’s customized portal layout and what they can choose from • define available objects andlayout (number of columns etc. generalizes ideas in Flow,..,GridBag Object layouts in Java AWT) • e.g. <portal name=“” ><columns=3/><portalobject mode=“forced” source=“”><placeat layout=“flow1” position=“1” > …... • placement of component objects on pages and specification of their parameters and location e.g. access weather object for suchandsuchcity with suchandsuch sensor overlay • choice of nifty JavaScript or Java index • rendering preferences such as resolutions and “universal access” • borders, backgrounds etc. • Portal building tools will exist for developers(architect template for portal i.e. differentiate my.NPACI from my.Netscape) and users( specialize portal template ) http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

38. A Collection of Shared Portal Components portalML document Web browser <sharedportaldef> . . . </sharedportaldef> Web page Regular content Document Fragments as Shared objects • In W3C DOM, each Web Page (HTML Page)is defined as a set of Nodes -- You choose which nodes (and their children) that you wish to share and then events are exchanged maintaining state consistency with logic defined by XML page • A Palm device may collaborate with a single document fragment http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations

39. Some System Comments and Issues • Use the browser mainly for rendering and capturing user-interaction events: it is not a robust virtual machine (container) in which one can build “WebWindows” applications • Run an Apache Server on every PC (or use “Yahoo messenger”) • Palm tops are treated as just another browser • Where do we need to build new infrastructure and cannot re-use existing technology as in CORBA Ninja E-Speak etc. ? • Event Service • Object specification including portalML properties • Collaboration with integrated capabilities • Education/Computing and Portal Specific Objects/Tools with properties such as special collaboration features • visualization • brainstorming and other learners-teachers interaction tool http://www.new-npac.org/users/fox/presentations