Network Embedded Storage and Compute (NESCO)

网络嵌入式存储和计算（NESCO）项目的动机是基于一个前提，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，作为为领域科学应用工作流程提供高级服务的机制。这是当前围绕“云”和“边缘”计算的网络基础设施演变的自然后续。NESCO项目正在发展下一个重要趋势，其基础是深度嵌入网络的分布式计算和存储设施生态系统。这些将在功能上类似于内部部署的边缘云，但将在网络中进行定制。应用程序工作流开发人员将可以访问一类新的服务，这些服务可以快速地针对特定的流程和用例进行定制。预期的结果之一是“中间盒”功能的民主化，应用程序工作流开发人员可以在流级粒度的基础上实时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作为原型用例。预计这些新服务将对广泛的领域科学应用产生兴趣。无法获得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别的价值。定义了可放置在广域网、区域网络和交换点内的NESCO设备。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，并被设计为在每个流程的基础上提供高度可定制的服务。一个被称为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“数据化”基础设施、模块化可插拔计算元素和智能工作流流程，用于跨异构资源类型和服务提供商构建按需拓扑。该系统还包括一个面向用户的应用程序编程接口，该接口允许工作流代理通过单个集成请求请求跨网络、计算和存储资源的资源拓扑。该项目正在制定教科文组织参考执行方案，将用于测试和实验。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并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，被认为值得支持。

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.