GOVERNMENT

The High Performance Computing Virtual Laboratory (HPCVL) announced the launch of its Secure Grid Portal (SGP). The portal enables researchers to gain secure access to HPCVL resources, their files, and applications from anywhere in Canada or, for that matter, from anywhere in the world and was designed with ease of use in mind. Using industry leading solutions from Sun Microsystems and Entrust Inc., it is another step in creating one of the world's best environments for innovative research requiring High Performance Computing and associated resources. In a highly competitive research environment, researchers may now do their research from any location where they have a web browser and an internet connection without any complex or time consuming processes, such as installing security software or other applications. The secure portal allows researchers to gain secure access to files and run applications on HPCVL resources, including graphics applications, through a web browser as though they were right there, without having to download the files and applications to the local computer while ensuring data integrity and protecting intellectual property. Examples of the rich application environment include 3-D graphical applications, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation preparation, editing, commercial application interfaces, and many other applications, all of which you may run as though you were working beside the computing resources. Importantly, it also has the ability of allowing researchers to permit remote User Support personnel to “shadow” a researcher's session in order to determine the causes of problems real-time with the users. The Secure Grid Portal opens HPCVL resources for use by researchers in areas where compliance regulations, such as, PIPEDA, HIPAA, FIPPA, USA FDA Title 21 CFR Part 11, may have impeded their ability to do so before. Researchers in areas affected by compliance regulations may need, not only data integrity, but also audit logs and have other particular requirements imposed by these regulations. Now, HPCVL is available as a source of secure research tools for researchers in these areas, such as clinical research trials. Features of the Secure Grid Portal include: the ability to login from anywhere in the world using a supported operating system and browser without having to download or install software; the ability to run applications in real time, including graphical applications; the ability to monitor applications; and, importantly for users, the ability to access live technical help by sharing a session with support personnel no matter where you are located. “This is a fantastic means of helping any user in the country without having to have local trained personnel ”, stated Dr. Doug Mewhort (Psychology Department, Queen's University), “It is the virtualization of resources, provided you have the network.” “The ability to provide researchers with the secure resources they need, no matter where they are, is key to expanding our services to the medical research field, for example, where privacy and compliance issues abound.”, stated Dr. Ken Edgecombe, Executive Director of HPCVL, “Keeping ease of use as an important design factor without lowering the resources available was hugely important.” HPCVL, centered at Queen's University, was formed by a consortium of universities (Carleton, Queen's, Royal Military College, and the U. of Ottawa) to provide secure High Performance Computing resources to innovative researchers. It now includes Ryerson University, Loyalist College, and Seneca College (see its Web site for more details).