GridPP PMB Minutes 7  - 22nd October 2001
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Present: Dave Britton (DB), John Gordon(JCG), Steve Lloyd(SLL),
          Les Robertson(LR)

Could not connect: Roger Barlow(RB)

Review of Actions
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ONGOING...
1.11 PC & DB to determine which project management tools to be used
Will be done but not critical path. After the TAG document.

CONTINUING

3.2 PC, NB, RB + EB to define experimental requirements
CONTINUING: Draft document had been circulated.

3.8 NIG to provide details of Oversight Board timetable

No further news

4.1 TD to set up the PMB web pages
CONTINUING

4.7 RPM to formulate guidance on costs of sending person to CERN on LTA. 
Some examples would be useful. Agree with Ken Peach and circulate to PMB 
(Les would use this information to inform potential applicants).
IN PROGRESS: COSTS INDEPENDENT OF GRADE; THREE SCENARIOS REQUESTED

5.6 JCG to estimate manpower needs for Tier 1/A centre

Draft circulated - discussed below. CLOSED

5.7 PC to come up with a list of names for TB
CONTINUING: SLL has list of TAG but not TB. 

6.1 PC to get TB documents onto appropriate web-site.
CONTINUING: SLL has placed TAG names on the TB web page for now.

6.2 JG to circulate hardware specifications to EB.
CONTINUING: Document not yet complete.

6.3 ALL to prepare input on top-down approach to recruitment
CONTINUING: Only RPM had circulated. Discussion will be completed next
week.

Tier1/A Centre
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JCG had circulated document shortly before meeting. He stressed that this
was a draft and did not yet have the general support of RAL.  It was
written using existing experience of running central services and the
increased level of support required for grid services and development and
scaled up to increased size of hardware. Bottom line is 16.7 FTE required
of which 2.3 would be funded from elsewhere leaving 14.4. 9FTE are
available for displacement from the PPD SLA leaving 5.4 additional posts
to be funded by GridPP.

DB asked about the required profile. The figures were for 2002. It was
assumed that the staff were required as soon as possible since the new
services had to be developed in parallel with supporting the existing
ones. By the end of 2002 the old and new services would be amalgamated but
the total amount of hardware would have risen so a flat profile was
assumed.

The document would be circulated to EB. 
ACTION NB to check that they were not assuming any other services would be
provided by the TierA/1. 
ACTION JCG. The numbers would be forwarded to the TAG. 

FINANCE
-------
DB had written a financial summary to help TD prepare presentation to CB.
This shows only 2.5M available for displacement in the reduced
allocation. Extension into the fourth financial year introduced a variety
of extra costs which reduced displacement. Travel totalled 785K and the
management staff costs of 220K were highjer than budgeted. Miscellaneous
costs included Globus support and OO training which had been funded by the
central computing SLA. Will non-staff costs in the SLA like this and
maintenance also be displaced?

NIG has been questioning the cash flow position of GridPP and his
e-Science total budget. DB said his maximum spend forecast was 2.1M for
this year without displacement. Filling the next 15 posts would not be
immediate so the actual figure was likely to be less.
 
UK HARDWARE
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No confirmation yet that the tender had appeared in the EJ. Full tender
document not yet complete.

CERN
----
The first round of adverts had closed last Friday. There were ~90 applicants.
INFN plan to recruit Fellows at CERN.

Next Meeting Monday 29th at 1pm UK time. Use *399876.      
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PMB Action List 22/10/01

Action List
-----------
ONGOING...

1.11    PC & DB to determine which project management tools to be used
3.2     PC, NB, RB + EB to define experimental requirements
3.8     NG to provide details of Oversight Board timetable
4.1     TD to set up the PMB web pages
4.7     RPM to formulate guidance on costs of sending person to CERN on
        LTA. Some examples would be useful. Agree with Ken Peach and
        circulate to PMB (Les would use this information to inform
        potential applicants).
5.7     PC to come up with a list of names for TB
6.1     PC to get TB documents onto appropriate web-site.
6.2     JG to circulate hardware specifications to EB.
6.3     ALL to prepare input on top-down approach to recruitment

NEW

7.1 NB to circulate Tier1 draft to EB
7.2 JCG to forward Tier1 numbers to TAG