WP-A1: Science Requirements and Architecture Definition

Objectives

This work package will define the overall scope of AstroGrid in sufficient detail that it can be implemented based on the outputs of this work package. It will take the vision as expressed in the submissions to PPARC, gather requirements from the community, and generate documents describing AstroGrid in increasingly refined levels of detail. One objective will be to have a clear statement to the end users of what they can expect from AstroGrid once it is available.

Inputs

• AstroGrid project plan for Phase-A
• AVO project plan
• Documents on needs from related areas such as the US NVO proposal
• Statements on the cost and availability of the technology we expect to use, such as high-speed networks, storage arrays and commercial software. These will be necessary to ensure that there is a reasonable match between the requirements and the cost of meeting them.

Tasks

• Hold open meetings to gather requirements from the UK community
• Follow up expressions of interest with group visitsDistil the inputs to a coherent and consistent set of requirements
• Prioritise the requirements in case not all can be satisfied within the current project
• Develop functional requirements from science requirements, i.e. what does AstroGrid need to do, rather than stating the scientific issues

Outputs

• Document stating the science requirements
• Functional requirements document
• Test cases against which AstroGrid will ultimately be judged