\uD83D\uDC65 Participants
Lead: Tim Boerner
All meeting participants (no B session)
\uD83E\uDD45 Topics
Background
In the XSEDE context, the SP Forum is a valuable organization for Service Providers to share information with each other and to provide feedback and advice to the XSEDE project on a variety of topics.
The SP Forum, while chartered/tasked by XSEDE, self-organizes and operates independently of XSEDE (and unfunded).
Members of the SP Forum have agreed that it is worthwhile and are willing to continue to participate in the SP Forum or its successor organization under the ACCESS context.
There are some XSEDE staff that are funded to participate/engage with the SPs via the SPF (e.g., SP Coordinator). Also, XSEDE deputy project director attends to represent the project.
Meetings are currently scheduled bi-weekly for 1 hour.
The Chair of the SP Forum is on the XSEDE Senior Management Team.
T3/CONECT, anticipating a large degree of contact with RPs due to technical integration requirements between RPs and ACCESS, T3/CONECT defined a funded role for RP Coordinator (Tim Boerner) to facilitate between T3 and the RPs on their integration with ACCESS, and to engage with new RPs/RP types to collect needs and promote participation in ACCESS.
Discussion
What is an RP?
A Service Provider (RP) as defined in XSEDE today, is a Resource Provider (RP) in ACCESS. They are synonymous.
Are there any concerns with having a formal relationship between ACCESS and the RP Forum similar to XSEDE? If so, how should it change?
On XSEDE SPF Chair sits on the Senior Management Team as a voting member.
What kind of participation do the ACO and other tracks want to have with the RP Forum?
How should we coordinate our interactions with the RP Forum?
e.g., perhaps it is sufficient that we each send a representative to the RP Forum to participate in those conversations.
Is there anything that we need from the RP Forum that it doesn't provide to XSEDE as the SP Forum?
How should ACCESS approach the SP Forum and request that they continue as the community transitions from XSEDE to ACCESS?
Should the RP Forum have representation in governing/advisory bodies for ACCESS as in XSEDE? (e.g., in some capacity with the EC)
More discussion needed
What challenges do we expect as we expand the number and type of RPs with ACCESS?
We should provide guidance to the RP Forum as to who/what are the “resources” that they should include to help the ACCESS program.
The value of the RP Forum to ACCESS is in 1) advisory role, 2) working/collaboration role.
Suggestion is to ask the SPF to continue as the RPF using the current SPF forum, until a new charter can be defined and approved.
NSF wants to enable the RPs to provided resources and services defined in each provider award.
What does interaction/communications that we need now look like?
Mechanism to communicate with them about how we’ll interact with them. 2-way conversation. How do they want to interact?
John will talk to SPF as ACO lead.
Soliciting info from them empowers them and allows them to feel part of process.
Ask for patience while we figure out
Clarification that Tim’s role is more about integration of RPs vs. governance level things.
Are there limiting factors that the RPs have?
Having representation on SMT & XAB gave a communications path to work out issues and allow them to have a voice in decision making & advising.
✅ Action items (Owner)
- Approach the SPF with ACCESS request to communicate the intension of ACCESS program to continue the involvement from RPF but ACCESS will need time to define new charter for RPF. (John Towns)