DCache

Authors

C. Mitterer, D. Ressmann, O. Tsigenov, known as the German storage support group.

help provided by

S. Kalinin, X. Mol, K. Schwank

Abstract

dCache is one of the most used storage solutions in the WLCG consisting of 94 PB of storage distributed world wide on 77 sites. Depending on the Persistency Model, dCache provides methods for exchanging data with backend (tertiary) Storage Systems as well as space management, pool attraction, dataset replication, hot spot determination and recovery from disk or node failures. Beside HEP specific protocols, data in dCache can be accessed via NFSv4.1 (pNFS) as well as through WebDav.

The workshop includes theoretical sessions and practical hands-on sessions such as installation, configuration of its components, simple usage and monitoring. The basic knowledge of Unix systems is required.

Event

Thursday, August 30, 10:50-18:30
The maximal number of participants is restricted to 30.

Time Table

11:00	Welcome And Overview, held by Doris Ressmann A welcome and overview to the course.
11:15	Introduction To dCache, held by Christoph Anton Mitterer Gives an overview on dCache, its history, future and application areas, its basic functionality and special features, its structure, main components, databases, protocols and data access model as well as typical cluster setups.
12:15	[dCache Within Grids], held by Christoph Anton Mitterer Gives some brief notes on grid-specific concepts, techniques, tools and clients that are important for using dCache within a grid (for example the LCG) and that will be referenced in later chapters.
12:30	Lunch
13:30	Installation (with exercises), held by Doris Ressmann Describes the typical installation-procedure for a dCache cluster, including its external dependencies, the core-services and the file hierarchy provider, the creation of pools as well as the configuration system.
15:00	Coffee break
15:30	Pool Management And Pool Selection (with exercises), held by Oleg Tsigenov Covers some of the concepts and means of selecting pools for client read- and write-accesses as well as their configuration.
16:30	Access Control (with exercises), held by Christoph Anton Mitterer Gives a basic overview on the main access control systems within dCache as well as their configuration.
18:30	End of the workshop

Template:Slides (dCache, 2012)

Assigned excercise machines

UID             Host name                    IP address
015		gks-021.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.21
016		gks-022.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.22
002		gks-029.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.29
017		gks-033.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.33
003		gks-034.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.34
004		gks-035.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.35 
005		gks-036.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.36
018		gks-037.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.37
019		gks-038.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.38
020		
021		gks-039.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.39
008		gks-040.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.40
022		gks-041.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.41
023		
024		
025		gks-042.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.42 
026		 
011		gks-043.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.43
014		gks-044.scc.kit.edu	     141.52.174.44

Links

The dcache.org main page is the starting point for all interests about dCache. Either searching for documentation or support, news or source code, everything can be found there.

Acknowledgement

We want to thank Xavier Mol for helping in previous years and preparing earlier installation instructions. Many thanks to the dCache developer team for assisting on open questions.
A special "Thank you" to D-Grid and the HGF-Alliance Physics on the Terascale for funding.