[glue-wg] Usage of GLUE2 XML realization

[Weijian Fang]

Hi,

We are looking at GLUE2 XML realizations, i.e., the official but a
little obsolete one
(http://schemas.ogf.org/glue/2008/05/spec_2.0_d42_r01) and the
NorduGrid one (http://svn.nordugrid.org/trac/nordugrid/browser/arc1/trunk/doc/tech_doc/infosys/GLUE2.xsd.
(We are also aware of the TeraGrid GLUE2 XML schema.)

The official schema and the NorduGrid schema are similar. Both define
only a single XML element: <Domains>. And all the other entities are
defined as XML types instead of elements. Thus they can be included in
<Domains> but can never stand on their own. Therefore, under this
design, in order to update a single piece of information, for
instance, Domains/AdminDomain/Services/ComputingService/RunningJobs,
one has to re-publish the whole AdminDomain.

Our observation is that the current design of GLUE2 XML schema is not
optimised for updating part of the information. Is this because
updating part of the information is never an intended usage pattern of
GLUE? A validity attribute is defined for each entity. We assume the
intended usage pattern of GLUE information model (including the XML
realization) is to PERIODICALLY publish ALL the information once the
validity period expires. Are we correct? Many thanks!

--
Dr. Weijian Fang
OMII-UK
4067 Building 32
School of Electronics and Computer Science
University of Southampton
Southampton SO17 1BJ
United Kingdom