Access Grid / iocom video collaboration node at UNBC you qin wang / peter l. jackson

1. Access Grid / iocom video collaboration node at UNBCyou qinwang / peter l. jackson UNBC High Performance Computing Laboratory

2. Compute Canada and WestGrid • The Canada Foundation for Innovation funds high performance computing (HPC) in Canada through a consortium called Compute Canada • Compute Canada in turn supports HPC via regional networks – in Western Canada (BC to Manitoba), the network is WestGrid • WestGridhas 14 member institutions (UVic, UBC, SFU, UNBC, UofA, UofC, ULeth, BanffCtr, Athabasca U, USask, URegina, UManitoba, BrandonU

3. Collaboration Node at UNBC • UNBC is a minor partner in WestGrid – we don’t house any of the major hardware or support staff • In the latest CFI round of funding, all partners were allocated funds for a Collaboration Node to facilitate research collaboration • The collaboration node can be used for national seminars in which participants from universities all across Canada attend presentations • It can also be used for smaller research meetings where two-way video/audio interaction is beneficial

4. Video Collaboration • This room can operate in two modes: • As an Access Grid node – this was a requirement of the funding and is the platform used for national meetings. The AG node can call a standard VC room too. • As a standard Video Conference room, similar to the other classrooms and meeting rooms at UNBC (note that we have the hardware for this, but it has not been tested or made operational yet – soon!)

5. Access Grid / IOCOM Hardware • The IOCOM hardware uses Access Grid to connect to unlimited sites for meetings – normal VC can has a limit of 4 sites • It is a software-based VC solution (runs on Windows 7, here) • There are public domain Access Grid clients for most hardware (PCs, macs, smart phones, iPod touch, etc.) • I am connected via AG from my office • The IOCOM system can also connect to a standard VC room – we will be showing this at 11:45 • At 12:00, we will be demonstrating the IOCOM Access Grid connection to a WestGrid seminar

6. National and Regional Seminars • Since September we have connected people to 12 national or regional seminars • C2C (Coast to Coast) Seminar series, this semester on Oceans and Climate • WestGridseminars on high performance computing • These national seminars are particularly useful for small and isolated institutions like UNBC allowing us access to presentations and speakers we may not otherwise have a chance to see

7. CtoC Seminar Series

8. UNBC / WestGridmeeting room • You can organize your own Access Grid meeting • Make sure all participants have AG software installed • Book ADM 2024 and the UNBC / WestGrid electronic meeting room • Tell your invitees to go to https://venueserver.westgrid.ca:8000/Venues/defaultand navigate to “UNBC” and “Research Lobby” (direct link: https://venueserver.westgrid.ca:8000/Venues/8e3a35534ae01a110898bec6a8724507)

9. Obtaining Access Grid client software • Software is freely available for most platforms • We have placed a windows distribution of the packages needed at http://cirrus.unbc.ca/hpc/AG/ (install the packages in the order listed) • Contact You Qin Wang if you have questions about setting up or testing clients

10. How to book this room • Priority booking of this room for research collaborations and meetings • When not otherwise booked, room is available for other meetings too • Room is booked through Integrated Support Services (ISS) / EMS as you would any VC room • EMS personnel will make sure the VC connection is working • You Qin Wang (yqwang@unbc.ca) is also available to support AG meetings