Defining the Relationship Between the Center for Computational Sciences (CCS) and the Atmospheric Radiation Monitoring (ARM Archive) Project.

June 4, 1997

Responsibilities of CCS

• Operate the Mass Storage System (MSS).
• Support the projects of the CCS and ARM (with ARM costs to be negotiated).
• Provide reliable data storage and access.
• Acquire and maintain adequate staff support to continue reliable operation.
• Assist customers in gaining access to the MSS.
• Provide enough hardware and software resources to satisfy CCS and ARM requirements (with ARM costs to be negotiated).

Responsibilities of ARM Archive

• Ensure an archive and retrieval facility with sufficient capacity for ARM requirements.
• Ensure that the archive can receive and manipulate the data as necessary.
• Provide enough equipment capacity to satisfy ARM requirements.

Background Data

• Total storage used by ARM and CCS projects have been roughly equal, although this may not continue.
• Total costs funded by each organization have also been also roughly equal, although this may change also.
• The costs of operation were approximately $190/gigabyte/year in FY1997.

The following documents provide further information:

• Facility equipment description
• Equipment procurement costs (internal access only)
• Operating cost per gigabyte calculation (internal access only)

Proposed relationship between ARM and CCS and other entities who may wish to use the facilities

• ARM and CCS will continue to make approximately equal contributions to the cost of operating and enhancing the MSS, although the appropriateness of this arrangement will be reviewed at least annually.
• Entities other than ARM and CCS that use the MSS should provide funds related to their usage. The guideline cost is $190/gigabyte/year (in FY 1997); lower costs for reduced service may be established.
• The benefit of income from such entities should be realized by both CCS and ARM in proportion to costs and investment.

CCS and ARM agree to make the benefits of the MSS operations work out fairly by maintaining frequent communications about operations, plans, and requirements.