Distributed Access to Data Processing and Analysis Tools at the Phillips Laboratory

Donna Warner
Mission Research Corporation
1 Tara Blvd
STE 302
Nashua, NH 03063
603-891-0070 ext 220
warner@plh.af.mil

Richard Babcock
Mission Research Corporation
1 Tara Blvd
STE 302
Nashua, NH 03063
603-891-0070 ext 210
babcock@plh.af.mil

Robert McInerney
Data Analysis Division
Phillips Laboratory
Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-3010
617-377-3718
weinfurt@plh.af.mil

Fred Santino
ESC/AVM
Bldg 1305
Hanscom AFB. MA 01731
617-377-4518
santino@tango-vs1.hanscom.af.mil

The Data Analysis Division of the Phillips Laboratory (PL/GPD) at Hanscom
AFB is involved in several initiatives to exploit current technology to
provide distributed access to data processing and analysis tools and
archived data sets via the Internet and the World Wide Web.

On one project, PL/GPD has teamed with the Technology Action Group at the
Electronic Systems Center (ASC/AVM).  By the direction of the Air Force
Materiel Command's PMMEB (Product Management Mission Element Board) ESC/AVM
is taking steps toward organizing and simplifying the procurement of
Information Technology supplies and services via the World Wide Web.  How
does this effort relate to access and distribution of scientific data sets?
The AVM charter directs them to develop the AFMC Country Store, a WWW
virtual store front.  Not only will government employees be able to purchase
computer and network supplies and services electronically, but scientists
will be able to locate and download software and data modeling tools
specifically developed for scientific research and analysis.  A
demonstration will be prepared to "shop" through the Country Store, locate
software of interest, and launch a demonstration of the capabilities of a
selected software package (TBD).  From the Country Store, users may also
call up a directory of scientific data catalogs or other implementations of
scientific data bases.

On another, very large, complex project, the PL/GPD has provided the BMDO
Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) with Data Management expertise for the past
five years.  The Data Management System is comprised of a widely distributed
set of data processing centers (DPCs).  The DPCs provide rapid access to MSX
data through nationwide data analysis centers for use by the MSX scientific
community.  The system has been designed to handle multi-gigabytes of data
daily.