Supporting the challenge of LHC produced data with ScotGrid

• Main Author: Earl, Alasdair David
• Published: University of Edinburgh 2005
• Subjects: 502.85
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.649852

Data management is a significant research area which encompasses hardware, software and knowledge specific to the problem-domain being addressed. Particle physics is a subject which provides data intensive scenarios at the peta-scale level, primarily the experiments using the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) which is expected to come online in 2007. Current designs and simulations suggest it will produce data in excess of 15 PB /year. We are therefore, challenged to provide new ways to catalogue, store, locate and retrieve this in a timely manner. In this thesis I, with assistance from various research groups, investigate the issues particle physics confronts in terms of data management between primary and tertiary sites when moving the computing architecture of an existing production experiment (BaBar) to the Grid. The development of the ScotGrid prototype regional / Tier 2 computing centre is discussed from its beginnings to production. Through this I apply the experience from BaBar to a future experiment (LHCb). I also investigate the application of storage management software as a problem for Tier 2 sites in terms of conflicting Grid interfaces and how this subject can be addressed and the progress made in its solution.