With oversight provided by Patricia Waukau, the general computing resources for the MMM Division remained essentially the same as in the previous year. Two of our three high-end servers, a four-processor Cray J90 and a four-processor SGI Power Onyx, are dedicated to the ongoing work of the Hong Kong and Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) projects. Recently background queues have been added to these two systems to allow non-project staff members to use any idle time on them. The third server, a four-processor DEC Alpha system, is used as a divisional computing resource. Additionally, this year we acquired a CDROM writer system, which allows scientists to write static datasets to CDs. A 54GB central data storage system accommodates all three of our servers, as well as the CDROM writer.
Although there were no major hardware enhancements to our computing environment, considerable effort was made to stabilize operating system environments. System upgrades were made on the SGI, Sun, DEC Alpha, and DEC Ultrix environments, bringing all systems of these architectures to the same level. In addition, Jody Williams of the systems group upgraded all of our IBM compatible systems to the new Windows 95 operating system.
Other software enhancements included the development, by William Boyd, of a Division-wide trouble ticket system to provide a more efficient mechanism for the systems group to resolve problems, as well as to document resolutions. This has proved to be very effective. In addition, the systems group put considerable effort into development of the Division's Web server, which included a significant effort by Teresa Harris to put the entire MMM Division Computing Guide on-line. A presentation showing the features of the Web servers was made to the division in December 1995. Subsequent to that presentation members of the scientific staff have also added information regarding their research efforts to the Web server.
During this year a final demonstration was made by members of the ARPA Project, led by Jordan Powers (ASP), to run a coupled model between NCAR's Mesa and Foothills Laboratories. This demonstration also included video conferencing.
In February of this year, HAL Computer Systems loaned the division a HAL workstation. This was one of the industry's first implementations of a true 64-bit hardware and software platform that was compatible with the Solaris operating system developed by Sun Microsystems. Benchmarks indicated that this system performed fairly well; however, the Division did not commit to including this new architecture into our already diverse environment.
Currently, the Division is in the process of developing a three- to four-year computing plan to determine where enhancements should be made to the present system. A survey was distributed to all staff members in September to gather input on future computing needs of the staff. Evaluation of the survey data and the formulation of a computing plan will take place during the first several months of FY97.