LaRDS Network Drive (LaND) Services

Overview

The Monash Large Research Data Store (LaRDS) provides, amongst other things, a range of “Network Drive” services.  Collectively these are known as the LaRDS Network Drive (LaND) services.  A range of services is available for different applications, some being suitable for each client workstation environment:

• Windows;  Mac;  Linux

Some LaRDS LaND services are based on open internet standards, some use vendor proprietary methods.  Some are restricted to within the Monash network for security reasons, some can traverse externally.  Some are restricted to Monash users, some can be accessed by external collaborators.

Some can access the same data as each other, some cannot.  From this point‑of‑view, the LaND services are divided into three categories:

• Novell;  Common;  Stand-alone

Each of the ‘flavours’ of LaRDS LaND are introduced below, and the current capabilities of each are summarized in Table 1.

LaRDS is available to all Monash staff and HDR students

LaRDS is secure and reliable

All LaRDS services are aimed at workgroup applications, i.e. not accessible by unauthorized people outside your research team.  Services can be configured for individuals (i.e. the case of a workgroup of size 1).  While some LaRDS services can be configured to provide public access, that is never the default, and in general the LaND services cannot be configured for public access.  Thus all data has the level of access security the end-user nominates.  All data held in LaRDS is backed-up to tape across multiple geographically diverse data centres.

LaRDS LaND services – Choose when…

The LaRDS Novell Netware R:\[1] drive is a fully supported ITS production service.  Local IT staff can assist as for other Novell services.  The LaRDS R:\ drive operates the same as a combination of the Novell U:\ and V:\ network drive services, i.e. can provide areas for individuals to store data and for workgroups to store and share data.  Use LaRDS Novell when you:

• want a fully supported production service;
• have a Windows PC, with a standard Monash SOE build, and/or the Netware client has been loaded;
• have a Mac, with the Netware client loaded;
• want access to on-line data, but not to the LaRDS near-line archive store;
• do not have non-Monash collaborators;
• may want access from any web browser anywhere:

Novell NetStorage – web access

You can also access your LaRDS Novell R:\ drive from any web browser, from any type of workstation (inc. Linux), from anywhere in the world (inc. internet café).  You do not need to have the Netware client loaded.  Indeed, NetStorage can be your sole way of accessing your LaRDS Novell drive, should you so desire.  NetStorage provides web access, but not full ‘mapped network drive’ functionality.

LaRDS NFS is a fully supported ITS production service.  Unix or Linux servers or groups of workstations can have a LaRDS NFS ‘mount’.  This allows individuals or groups of people to store and share data.  Use LaRDS NFS when you:

• have a Unix/Linux server, or a group of Unix/Linux workstations;
• want to share data between Unix/Linux and Windows or Mac workstations;
• want to share data with the Monash Campus Grid;
• want access to the LaRDS on-line and/or near-line stores;
• your Unix/Linux server/workstations are within the Monash network in Australia.

The Monash Sun Grid (MSG) and Monash Green SPONGE high performance computing (HPC) services use LaRDS NFS as their sole mains of storing all user data.  Thus, these HPC systems provide a Unix login style of access to LaRDS.

We are currently trialling the use of SSH-FS.  Use LaRDS SSH-FS when you want the one solution that:

• works for Windows, Mac and Unix/Linux workstations;
• works within the Monash network or anywhere external to the Monash network;
• supports Monash and non-Monash users alike;
• provides access to the LaRDS on-line and/or near-line stores;
• provides encryption for usernames, passwords and all data passed over the network;
• fully open-standards (internet-standards) based.

LaRDS Samba provides connection between LaRDS and Microsoft network file sharing.  Use LaRDS Samba when you:

• have your own adequately performing local MS Windows server;
• want to share data between Unix/Linux and Windows or Mac workstations;
• want to be able to add your own non-Monash users or configure your own groups;
• want access to the LaRDS on-line and/or near-line stores;
• do not want access from outside the Monash network in Australia;
• want to avoid having the Novell Netware client loaded on your workstation.

LaRDS Sakai

Sakai is an all-in-one web collaboration tool and includes a data storage and sharing facility similar to NetStorage.  With Sakai you can easily set up your own groups and access controls.  Use LaRDS Sakai when you:

• want web access (from any workstation anywhere) to a data storage and sharing facility;
• want to easily set up your own groups and file access controls;
• want to use other web collaboration functions as well as data storage and sharing;
• do not want to have direct access to the same data from any other LaRDS interface.

LaRDS Mediaflux Desktop

LaRDS Mediaflux is an open standards (XML) based digital asset management system for storing audio, video, image, document or any other file types.  Mediaflux allows you to organize your digital assets into nested collections, and to add descriptions (metadata) and annotations to your digital objects.  Mediaflux Desktop is an easy-to-use generic web-based interface, similar to MS Windows Explorer.  Use LaRDS Mediaflux Desktop when you:

• want web access (from any workstation anywhere) to a data storage, management and sharing facility;
• want to add descriptive metadata and annotations to your digital objects;
• want to be able to search through your files via their metadata and annotations;
• want to easily transfer your digital assets to the Monash ARROW institutional repository.

LaRDS Network Drive (LaND) services summary

Table 1:  LaRDS LaND services comparison – current status (July 2009)

Notes:

[1] The Monash Sun Grid (MSG) and Monash Green SPONGE high performance computing (HPC) services use LaRDS for all user data storage, via the LaRDS NFS interface.  Thus, these HPC systems provide a Unix login style of interface to LaRDS.

[2] VPN is not recommended for high performance.  VPN is not available for non-Monash users.

[3] NFS: external users can remotely login to a LaRDS-attached Unix/Linux server (by using SSH), but the server must itself be within the Monash network in Australia.