[Go-essp-tech] BioTorrents

Thu Apr 22 03:27:37 MDT 2010

On another slightly philosophical note, would it be possible to relax
the requirement that files be kept as CMOR2 compliant netcdf to a
requirement that the archive will deliver all data as CMOR2 compliant
netcdf?

There is a real use case here: a modelling centre (DKRZ) will produce a
significant volume of GRIB data from CMIP5 runs for use as regional
model forcing  by themselves and national collaborators and don't have
funding for additional disk space to store a netcdf copy. There is an
additional complication  that variables they want to distribute go
significantly beyond what was included in the CMIP5 request, so some may
not be recognised by CMOR2.

There may, of course, be many technical and resource reasons for not
wanting to this in the next two years, but in the longer term, is there
any reason why http://<domain>/<path>.nc
<http://%3cdomain%3e/%3cpath%3e.nc>  should not resolve to a dynamically
generated netcdf file?

Cheers,

Martin 

From: go-essp-tech-bounces at ucar.edu
[mailto:go-essp-tech-bounces at ucar.edu] On Behalf Of Steve Hankin
Sent: 21 April 2010 22:22
To: asim at lbl.gov
Cc: GO-ESSP
Subject: Re: [Go-essp-tech] BioTorrents

2 philosophical cents (well, really a rant, I'll admit):

A remarkable number of the best, easiest, and most powerful ideas are
pushed off of our table by a perceived requirement that access to data
be restricted.  Elements of this are inevitable.  Still  I believe that
we should find much better ways as a data technology community
(including our own ESG project) to allow the superior technology options
that become available through open access to shine.  

At the org-chart level there is a broken system of checks-and-balances.
The requirements for restricted access are imposed down the line in the
org chart, without any mechanism for push-back -- for explaining to
those who impose the restrictions what unintended price is being paid by
doing so.  While the org chart relationships tie our hands, the Web as a
visible showcase for good ideas can provide the missing force of
balance.  We are seeing just this as we weigh BioTorrents against our
own solutions. 

I wonder if we shouldn't be promoting the (superior) technologies that
become available with open access in parallel with the (costly and
permanently slower to evolve) secure federated approaches.  Clearly
access-restricted datasets could not be hosted on the open systems.  But
that absence would be precisely the loss that makes the technology cost
of restricted access visible.   Building dual-access systems would be an
imperfect solution to an imperfect social equation.   But it would allow
us to contribute to long-term improvements in dysfunctional policies at
the same time that we explore (fun) new technologies.

    - Steve

=========================================

Alex Sim wrote: 

If we can resolve authorization aspects on the datasets with torrents,
we can probably support torrents technology in the future.  all data
access is open in this torrents and most others too.

-- Alex

On 4/20/10 8:40 AM, V. Balaji wrote:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0010071

	It's a great pity we aren't using torrent technology in our
field...

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Steve Hankin, NOAA/PMEL -- Steven.C.Hankin at noaa.gov
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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men
to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke

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