Network Embedded Storage and Compute (NESCO)

网络嵌入式存储和计算（NESCO）项目的动机是一个前提，即未来的研究和教育网络应该包括“嵌入式计算和存储”功能，作为一种机制，为领域科学应用工作流提供先进的服务。这是当前围绕“云”和“边缘”计算的网络基础设施发展的自然后续。 NESCO项目正在开发下一个重要趋势，该趋势基于深度嵌入网络的计算和存储设施的分布式生态系统。 这些将在功能上类似于内部部署的边缘云部署，但将针对网络内的放置进行定制。 应用程序工作流开发人员将可以访问一类新的服务，这些服务可以根据特定的流程和用例快速定制。 预期的一个结果是“中间盒的民主化”功能，其方式是应用程序工作流开发人员可以以流级粒度实时地定制他们的工作流和数据处理。 该项目包括一个气候科学工作流程作为原型用例。 预计这些新服务将对广泛的领域科学应用感兴趣。 无法负担专用资源的个人和小型研究小组可能会发现这些服务具有特殊价值。定义了NESCO设施，可以将其放置在广域网、区域网和交换点内。 这些设施将包含先进的基于可编程硬件的网络功能、计算和存储资源，并在架构上以高度可定制的每流基础提供服务。 一个名为StackV的开源编排系统正在被修改，以开发一类新的实时“流管理”服务。 StackV系统包括一个实时建模框架，用于“可扩展”基础设施、模块化可插拔计算元素和智能工作流流程，以跨异构资源类型和服务提供商构建按需拓扑。 该系统还包括面向用户的应用编程接口，其允许工作流代理经由单个集成请求来请求跨越网络、计算和存储资源的资源拓扑。 该项目正在开发一个NESCO参考实现，将部署用于测试和实验。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

The Network Embedded Storage and Compute (NESCO) project is motivated by a premise that future Research and Education networks should include "embedded compute and storage" functions as a mechanism to provide advanced services for domain science application workflows. This is a natural follow-on to the current cyberinfrastructure evolution revolving around "Cloud" and "Edge" computing. The NESCO project is developing the next important trend based on a distributed ecosystem of compute and storage facilities which are embedded deeply within networks. These will be similar in function to on-premise edge cloud deployments but will be customized for placement within networks. Application workflow developers will have access to a new class of services which can be rapidly tailored to specific flows and use cases. One result anticipated is the "democratization of middlebox" functions in a manner where application workflow developers can customize their workflows and data processing on real-time basis with flow level granularity. This project includes a climate science workflow as a prototype use case. It is anticipated that these new services will be of interest to a broad range of domain science applications. Individual and small research groups who cannot afford access to dedicated resources may find these services of particular value.A NESCO facility is defined which can be placed inside of Wide Area Networks, Regional Networks, and Exchange Points. These facilities will contain advanced programmable hardware-based network functions, compute and storage resources, and be architected to provide services on a highly customizable per flow basis. An open source orchestration system known as StackV is being modified to develop a new class of realtime "Flow Management" services. The StackV system includes a realtime modeling framework to "datafy" infrastructure, modular pluggable computation elements, and intelligent workflow processes to build on-demand topologies across heterogeneous resource types and service providers. This system also includes a user facing application programming interface which allows workflow agents to request resource topologies which span network, compute, and storage resources via a single integrated request. This project is developing a NESCO reference implementation which will be deployed for testing and experimentation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.