Particle Physics Data Grid (PPDG)
The PPDG collaboration was formed in 1999, with initial funding from the NGI initiative and later from
the DOE MICS and HENP programs, to develop, acquire and deliver vitally needed Grid-enabled tools
for data-intensive requirements of particle and nuclear physics. Novel mechanisms and policies are to be
vertically integrated with Grid middleware and experiment-specific applications and computing
resources to form effective end-to-end capabilities.
PPDF is a collaboration of computer scientists with a strong record in distributed computing and Grid
technology, and physicists with leading roles in the software and network infrastructures for major
high-energy and nuclear experiments. Together they have the experience, knowledge and vision in the
scientific disciplines and technologies required to bring Grid-enabled data manipulation and analysis
capabilities to the desk of every physicist.
PPDG goals and plans are guided by the immediate, medium-term and longer-term needs and
perspectives of the physics experiments, some of which will run for at least a decade from 2006 and by
the R&D agenda of the computer science projects involved in PPDF and other Grid-oriented efforts.
PPDG actively participates in iVDGL together with GriPhyN as a three-pronged approach to data grids for US
physics experiments. It also works closely with complementary data grid initiatives in Europe and beyond:
Global Grid Forum, EU DataGrid and as part of the HENP InterGrid Coordination Board (HICB) and HICB Joint
Technical Board.
Collaborators
USA, CERN and participating EU DataGrid and DataTAG partners:
Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Caltech, Fermi National Accelerator
Laboratory, Information Sciences Institute/University of Southern California, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, San Diego Supercomputer Center, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Thomas Jefferson National
Accelerator Facility, University of California San Diego, University of Wisconsin; Global Grid Forum
(worldwide); EU DataGrid project, Europe; HENP InterGrid Coordination Board (HICB) and HICB Joint Technical
Board (worldwide).
http://www.ppdg.net/