© University of Reading 2009 www.reading.ac.uk IT Services e-Research workshop Mike Roch, Director of IT Services 17 June 2009
Mar 28, 2015
© University of Reading 2009 www.reading.ac.uk
IT Services
e-Research workshopMike Roch, Director of IT Services
17 June 2009
http://www.reading.ac.uk/e-research
• Providing better resources, software and support to allow researchers in Reading to make use of e Research technology in their research
• To encourage inter-disciplinary collaborations to be formed inside and outside of the University around e Research
• To develop the e Research agenda for the University
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Mapping exercise
• Summary: http://www.reading.ac.uk/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.asp?lID=27575&sID=143515
• Significant computation done on single PCs but demand shown for Campus Grid
• Wide range of software in use but a few with many users or interested users– SPSS, Matlab, Nvivo
• Wide range of sizes and types of data sets
• More support/advice top need
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ITS responses to mapping exercise
• Campus Grid, National Grid Service and e-Science Certificates
• e-Research advice & support
• Software
• Data storage
• Workshops & Training
• Newsletter, documentation and website
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Campus Grid
• Utilises spare capacity on library and laboratory Windows PCs for research
• Started in the School of Systems Engineering
• IT Services become involved to make it a campus wide service
• When no user is logged in, the PC is allowed to accept Campus Grid jobs
• http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/its/e-research/its-eresearch-campusgrid.asp
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Campus Grid – users
• Systems Engineering (8)
• Environmental Systems Sciences Centre (6)
• Meteorology (4)
• Biology (1 + 2 NGS)
• Mathematics (3)
• Chemistry (3)
• Agricultural Economics and Management (2)
• Informatics Research Centre (1)
• Applied Statistics (1)
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Campus Grid – average PCs in use
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Campus Grid – applications and support
• Applications– native support for Matlab and R– compilation tools: gcc/gfortran/g++, java, python,
perl, subversion...– checkpointing support
• Support– ITS offers help for users wanting to get started with
the Campus Grid and the wider National Grid Service
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Software environment
• Matlab & R available on Campus Grid
• Nvivo– taken out 5 yr site licence (1/8/08 – 31/7/13)– https://www.reading.ac.uk/closed/its/docs/software/its-
software-nvivo.asp
• Atlas.ti– bought more licences– available via terminal server
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Support activities
• Open meetings & workshops, eg – http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/its/e-research/its-
eresearch-ah-workshop.asp
• Termly newsletter– http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/its/e-research/its-
eresearch-newsletter.asp
• Linux training sessions– email to eresearch & it-supporters lists for suggestions
for topics
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Data stewardship
• QAR issues
• Best practices
• Hosting centrally vs backup service
• Continuity of researchers’ use of data
• Relationship with Institutional Publication Repository
• Please discuss requirements with ITS
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eResearch community
• Email List – information about seminars, conferences and funding opportunities [email protected]
• Long running seminar series organised by ACET which is relevant to researchers in e-Research, these are advertised on the e-Research mailing-list.
• e-Research South - 5 year e-Science collaboration between Reading, Oxford, Southampton and STFC
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