Gordon Springer informed me this afternoon that the University of Kansas has connected up to the GPN Dropoff service via InCommon.  

KU is the seventh university and eighth organization to join GPN Dropoff and the GPN Federation.  In addition to KU, the GPN Federation also includes Oklahoma State University, University of Arkansas, University of Missouri at Columbia, University of Missouri at Kansas City, University of Missouri at St. Louis, Missouri University of Science and Technology and the Great Plains Network in being able to access and use GPN Dropoff.

The web address to use GPN Dropoff is here:   https://dropoff.rnet.missouri.edu.

• You can learn how to connect your university to the GPN Federation in order to use GPN Dropoff at http://www.greatplains.net/display/Home/File+Transfer+Service.
• You can read about the development of GPN Dropoff at http://www.greatplains.net/display/Home/2013/02/04/GPN+Releases+New+Service+to+Assist+Researchers.
• You can learn how to obtain an OSG personal grid certificate to use GPN Dropoff at http://www.greatplains.net/display/Home/File+Transfer+Service.
• For information about membership in The Great Plains Network Consortium, visit http://www.greatplains.net/display/Home/Become+a+Member.

For questions, please contact Greg Monaco or Kate Adams (greg or kate at greatplains.net).

At the recent GPN Annual Meeting in Kansas City, there was an overlapping meeting of the Advisory Council for the IMLS funded planning grant to KU, with GWLA and GPN as partners representing the academic library and cyberinfrastructure communities (learn more at http://www.greatplains.net/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=3801222).

One topic that frequently came up in Advisory Council discussions was the recent memo from the White House's Office of Science Technology Policy (OSTP) directing heads of executive departments and agencies to increase public access to the results of federally funded research.  A solid recommendation of the advisory council was for GWLA and GPN to go on record, publicly, in support of the policy, to inform interested parties of our efforts in this area and to recommend that the university community is uniquely positioned to help lead and partner with federal agencies to assist in lifecycle data management leading to open, federated access to research data.  

You can read the OSTP memo, here:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/ostp_public_access_memo_2013.pdf

You can read the Greater Western Library Alliance/Great Plains Network joint letter, here:  GWLA - GPN Joint Letter to OSTP.pdf

On Sunday, June 9, representatives from several GPN schools met in Rolla, MO to work on GPN's SC13 booth.  KSU, KU, UNL, MST, MU, and UARK were there.  The group worked very well together and by Tuesday morning, we had a general booth design, and plans for the rest of the summer leading up to SC13 in November.  The booth is going to look great when we're done with it!  Here is a pic of the general layout.

This is a panoramic view, so it looks a big skewed. The booth is 20' X 40'.  Each of the four corners has an L shaped corner piece.  The two black and red columns in the center are actually parallel.  The schools will be in the four corners, and on the sides facing the corners of the center columns.  The rest of the space will be common space with tables, chairs, and laptop/device charging stations.  The center columns will go the same height as the corner columns.

Great Plains Members are getting a discount on two upcoming Merit classes.  The first class is [VMware vSphere: Optimize and Scale [V5.1]|http://www.merit.edu/optimize2013] which will be held in Ann Arbor, Michigan June 24-28.  The special GPN member price is $4,196.  The regular price is $4,695.

The second class is IPv6 Workshop: Practical Tools for Implementation.  This class will also be held in Ann Arbor June 26-27.  A GPN member can take this class for $849.  The regular price of this class is $899.

GPN 2013 Annual Meeting

It was another great annual meeting.  Thanks to all of our presenters who made it so.  Speaking of presenters, slides and pictures from GPN's recent annual meeting are up at [http://www.greatplains.net/display/Home/2013+Annual+Meeting|]

• Presentations:  http://www.greatplains.net/display/Home/2013+Annual+Meeting#2013AnnualMeeting-Presentations
• Photos:  http://www.greatplains.net/display/Home/2013+Annual+Meeting#2013AnnualMeeting-Photos%26nbsp%3B
• Schedule:  http://www.greatplains.net/display/Home/2013+Annual+Meeting#2013AnnualMeeting-PDFofSchedule
• Presentation Abstracts:  http://www.greatplains.net/display/Home/2013+Annual+Meeting#2013AnnualMeeting-PresentationAbstracts

If you have any pictures that you'd like to share, please send them to Kate.  More presentations will be added as they are received.  

IBM has signed on as an Annual Meeting Silver Sponsor.  IBM is the fifteenth committed sponsor for 2013 and the eighth returning sponsor.  Thanks to IBM!  

GPN2013 is co-organized by the Greater Western Library Alliance.  The theme of the years annual meeting is Big Data:  From Bits and Bytes to Knowledge and Insights.

• You can learn more about the meeting, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/
• You can learn about sponsorship, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/sponsors
• Learn about the Big Data Summit and Network Measurement workshop, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/workshops
• You can register for the meeting and for the Big Data Summit, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/registration

Ciena, a GPN Affiliate Member, has signed on as an Annual Meeting Bronze Sponsor.  Ciena is a long time sponsor for GPN meetings.  Ciena is the fourteenth committed sponsor for 2013 and the seventh returning sponsor.  Thanks to Ciena!  

GPN2013 is co-organized by the Greater Western Library Alliance.  The theme of the years annual meeting is Big Data:  From Bits and Bytes to Knowledge and Insights.

• You can learn more about the meeting, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/
• You can learn about sponsorship, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/sponsors
• Learn about the Big Data Summit and Network Measurement workshop, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/workshops
• You can register for the meeting and for the Big Data Summit, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/registration

We are finalizing our program for GPN2013.  You can access it online at 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AtRBtxud9RbBdEdZSnZnS0xhY2JLUDlNSUZlNUREN3c&single=true&gid=1&output=html

We are anticipating at least 100 attendees at the Big Data Summit on Wednesday, May 29, and well over 100 attendees at the meeting on Thursday and Friday, the 30th and 31st.

Highlights

• Keynote presentations by Shannon Jackson & Carl Lundstedt
• Updates on HPC centers, Internet2 & GPN
• HPC, Network and Library tracks
• Track presentations on HPC, ScienceDMZ best practices, Globus Online, the Advanced Smart Grid and much more
• Birds of a Feather Sessions on Disaster Mitigation, SC13 Planning, Joining the GPN/GWLA testbed project
• Big Data Summit and Network Performance Workshop

Meeting Notes 

• The posters will be judged on Wednesday evening, May 29th
• The meeting will start at 8AM on Thursday and Friday.

Thanks to

Our co-organizer

• The Greater Western Library Alliance

Our Sponsors

Platinum

• ADVA (Welcome Reception sponsor)
• Fujitsu (Student Award sponsor)
• Brocade, 
• Ex Libris, 
• Cambridge Computing

Gold

• Teliasonera

Bronze

• ACT/Panasas, 
• Level3, 
• Open Technologies/SGI, 
• ScaleMP, 
• Spectra Logic, 
• Optelian

Academic

• Globus Online (Student Scholarship sponsor)

Open Technologies has teamed up with SGI as an Annual Meeting Bronze Sponsor.  Open Technologies is a long time sponsor for GPN meetings and has teamed up SGI on prior occasions, as well.  Open Technologies/SGI is the thirteenth committed sponsor for 2013.  Thanks to Open Technologies/SGI and Mark Griffin!  

GPN2013 is co-organized by the Greater Western Library Alliance.  The theme of the years annual meeting is Big Data:  From Bits and Bytes to Knowledge and Insights.

• You can learn more about the meeting, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/
• You can learn about sponsorship, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/sponsors
• Learn about the Big Data Summit and Network Measurement workshop, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/workshops
• You can register for the meeting and for the Big Data Summit, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/registration

Recently the topic of data storage came up on a mailing list.  As this is a general concern for many, I thought I'd share some of the discussion.

https://dmp.cdlib.org/ is Data Management Plan Tool.  This page lets you create an account and use some templates for the type of grant you are applying for.  I looks very useful.  If someone who has more of the information it needs has any comments and would like to share, that would be great.

http://www.dataone.org/best-practices has a primer on best practices, but no storage space.

XSEDE has some storage resources.  https://www.xsede.org/web/guest/storage

SDSC has cloud storage options.  I don't know if this is for public storage, but it gives others an idea about pricing and policies. https://cloud.sdsc.edu/hp/index.php

The tentative Annual Meeting Schedule is up at the 2013 Annual Meeting page.  It is available to download as a pdf.  The numbers in parentheses are the minutes allotted.  The times on the left are start times to help us write the schedule.  If you have any questions about the schedule, please let Kate or Greg know.

This is also the page where pictures and copies of presentations will go.

Ex Libris has signed on as a GPN Annual Meeting Platinum Sponsor.  Ex Libris is a first time sponsor of the GPN Annual Meeting and we welcome them!  Ex Libris is the eleventh committed sponsor for 2013.  Thanks, Ex Libris!  

The theme of the years annual meeting is Big Data:  From Bits and Bytes to Knowledge and Insights.

• You can learn more about the meeting, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/
• You can learn about sponsorship, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/sponsors
• Learn about the Big Data Summit and Network Measurement workshop, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/workshops
• You can register for the meeting and for the Big Data Summit, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/registration

Cambridge Computer has signed on as a GPN Annual Meeting Platinum Sponsor.  Cambridge Computer is a first time sponsor of the GPN Annual Meeting and we welcome them!  Cambridge is the twelfth committed sponsor for 2013.  Thanks, Cambridge!  

The theme of the years annual meeting is Big Data:  From Bits and Bytes to Knowledge and Insights.

• You can learn more about the meeting, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/
• You can learn about sponsorship, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/sponsors
• Learn about the Big Data Summit and Network Measurement workshop, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/workshops
• You can register for the meeting and for the Big Data Summit, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/registration

OPTELIAN has signed on as a GPN Annual Meeting Bronze Sponsor.  Optelian is a first time sponsor of the GPN Annual Meeting and we welcome them!  Optelian is the tenth committed sponsor for 2013.  Thanks, Optelian!  

The theme of the years annual meeting is Big Data:  From Bits and Bytes to Knowledge and Insights.

• You can learn more about the meeting, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/
• You can learn about sponsorship, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/sponsors
• You can submit a presentation proposal, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/presentations
• Learn about the Big Data Summit and Network Measurement workshop, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/workshops
• You can register for the meeting and for the Big Data Summit, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/registration

ScaleMP has signed on as a GPN Annual Meeting Bronze Sponsor.  ScaleMP is a first time sponsor of the GPN Annual Meeting and we welcome them!  ScaleMP is the ninth committed sponsor for 2013.  Thanks, ScaleMP!  

The theme of the years annual meeting is Big Data:  From Bits and Bytes to Knowledge and Insights.

• You can learn more about the meeting, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/
• You can learn about sponsorship, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/sponsors
• You can submit a presentation proposal, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/presentations
• Learn about the Big Data Summit and Network Measurement workshop, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/workshops
• You can register for the meeting and for the Big Data Summit, here:  http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/great-plains-network/registration