GT 4.0 Release Notes: Data Replication Service (DRS)

1. Component Overview

The Data Replication Service (DRS) is a technical preview provided with the Globus Toolkit 4.0 and first appeared in the GT 3.9.5 Beta release. The primary functionality of the component allows users to identify a set of desired files existing in their Grid environment, to make local replicas of those data files by transferring files from one or more source locations, and to register the new replicas in a Replica Location Service. The DRS conforms to the WS-RF specification and exposes a WS-Resource (called a "Replicator" resource) which represents the current state of the requested replication activity and allows users to query or subscribe to various Resource Properties in order to monitor the state of the resource. The DRS is built on the GT 4.0 Java WS Core and uses the Globus RLS to locate and register replicas and the Globus RFT to transfer files.

2. Feature Summary

Features new in release GT 4.0:

  • Initial implementation of the Data Replication Service: a WS-Resource, called the Replicator, which accepts a request from a client to locate, transfer, and register new replicas of data files in the Grid environment.
  • A command-line tool to create and start (globus-replication-create) replication requests.
  • WSDL-defined SOAP operation to create (and implicitly starts) a replication request. For details, click here to view a listing of the WSDL-defined interface from the Globus CVS repository.

Other Supported Features

  • Supports secure transport, secure conversation, and secure message communication as provided by GT 4.0.

Deprecated Features

  • None.

3. Technology Dependencies

DRS depends on the following GT components:

  • Java WS Core
  • WS Authentication and Authorization
  • Delegation Service
  • RFT
  • RLS

DRS depends on the following 3rd party software:

  • PostgreSQL

4. Supported Platforms

Tested Platforms for DRS

  • Linux (RedHat, Debian)

5. Backward Compatibility Summary

Protocol changes since GT version 3.2:

  • None

API changes since GT version 3.2:

  • None

Exception changes since GT version 3.2:

  • None

Schema changes since GT version 3.2:

  • None

6. For More Information

Click here for more information about this component.