Using Standards-Based Interfaces to Share Data across Grid Infrastructures

Data grids, such as the ones used by the high energy physics community, are used to share vast amounts of data across geographic locations. However, interactions with grid data are generally limited by the interfaces provided by the corresponding grid´s infrastructure. The standardization of grid interfaces is one way to expand the reach of grid data seamlessly for users as well as to broaden the set of exploitable grid tools. This in turn enables new collaboration possibilities. The Open Grid Forum has created standards related to accessing grid data. In our work, we explore the usability of two OGF standards, RNS and ByteIO, to enable access to data resources residing in EGEE grids. Grids that implement the RNS specification can address named entities in other grids while grids that implement the ByteIO specification can manipulate data associated with named resources in other grids. Data management functionality in EGEE grids was developed before these specifications were created. As such, implementing RNS and ByteIO for EGEE grids is a test of whether these standards can be applied to an existing grid infrastructure. Through the development of the SNARL and SABLE web services, we demonstrate that such an implementation is possible and measure its performance ramifications. These services expand the access to EGEE grid data by enabling interoperability with other standard compliant grid infrastructures.