May 15, 2020 JLabCE Management + PSSC

Meeting to discuss EPSCI maintenance of JLabCE + Resurrection of Physics Software Support Committee

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Agenda

• JLabCE Introduction - Maurizio
  • Scientific Software Webpage
  • CUE location: /site/12gev_phys
  • Docker
    • Docker Hub
    • New location of Dockerfile https://github.com/gemc/docker
    • Old location of Dockerfile https://gitlab.com/ESC/containers/-/tree/master/Docker/JLEIC/jlabce
• What do Halls currently use?
  • Hall A
  • Hall B
  • Hall C
  • Hall D
  • Hall EIC
• Modules (e.g. "module load")
• Options:
  1. Keep same
  2. Drop centralized version set and build packages upon request
  3. Officially support group defined version sets
• Service Now: Category = "Physics Division Supported Software"
• AOT

Reference

• GlueX Environment

Minutes

Attendees: David L., Thomas B., Brad S., Dmitry R., Mark I., Mauri U., Nathan Baltzell., Ole H., Zhiwen Z.

JLabCE Introduction

• Mauri was put on the spot with no warning to give a brief introduction to JLabCE.
  • System for building and maintaining versions of dependency packages used by various groups throughout the lab
  • Copies of source code kept at JLab
    • Allows permanent, stable availability
    • Allows for custom, local patches (e.g. GEANT4)
  • Binaries maintained in /site/12gev_phys with variations for version number, OS, and compiler
  • Docker container maintained with a standard version set
  • Suggested we consider CVMFS distribution

What do Halls currently use

• Hall-A
  • Main thing used is ROOT build
  • Analyzer is not part of CE so is built/maintained external to it
  • Many people use private installations of dependency packages (may not be aware of JLabCE versions)
  • CREX and PREX use specialized pairity analyzer software (may not benefit much from centralized management)
• Hall-B
  • Uses some packages built as part of CE, but environment set by hall-specific Modules config files
• Hall-C
  • Similar to Hall-A in that experimental groups tend to be loosely coupled so not much formal interdependency on software
  • Some groups migrating more to containers (Singularity and Docker)
• Hall-D
  • Version sets maintained in XML files
  • Single XML file is used to build packages, set environment, and document a complete version set
  • No dependency on JLabCE at all
• Hall EIC
  • Used home-grown ejpm up to now
  • Looking to transition to spack

Modules

• Nathan currently using in Hall-B with good success
• Well established standard
• Supported in spack
• Allows for "uber"-modules to group multiple packages together

spack

• Dmitry suggested we take a strong look at spack which provides the functionality we need in a modern, popular package manager
• General consensus we should look into this
• David volunteered himself and Thomas to investigate spack and to develop a proposal in consultation with Mauri and Dmitry
• Once a proposal is formed, another ad hoc meeting will be called to review and refine it.