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== Introduction  ==
{{Deprecated}}
'''THIS SITE WAS NEVER FINISHED. PLEASE DON'T USE IT.'''


Empowering scientific communities with tools that enable them to make use of  European Grid Infrastructure services is important for the successful engagement of EGI with new users. And portal technologies play an important role within this respect.


Portals can eliminate barriers of e-Infrastructure access, portals can seamlessly integrate the grid and the web. Because of their strong relation to users, portals are typically geared to specific use cases. Several NGIs, user communities and projects of EGI offer portals or reusable "portal builder technologies" for end users and for portal developers. With such a diversity it becomes difficult to make a decision on which technology to use. Which portal or portal builder technology should I use? During the last EGI Technical Forum the User and Community Support Team of EGI.eu organized a [https://www.egi.eu/indico/sessionDisplay.py?sessionId=64&confId=452#20110920 <font color="#0000ff">topical workshop on portal technologies</font>] and tried to answer that question. An important outcome of the workshop was an agreement to create a "portal technology comparison table" for EGI. The table aims to provide an analysis of existing and reusable portals, portal developer frameworks, portlets and components to help scientific communities and their supporting NGIs identify solutions that best meet their needs and should be considered when building and using portals.


'''The survey to collect feedback on the available technologies can be found here '''(put link to zoomerang once reviewed).
= About the table =
<br>
<br>
== Questions ==


EGI.eu drafted a set of questions to collect information about existing portal technology solutions and to make a comparison. These questions were reviewed by the three main groups of people who participated in the [https://www.egi.eu/indico/sessionDisplay.py?sessionId=64&confId=452#20110920 <font color="#0000ff">topical workshop on portal technologies</font>], namely:  
Empowering scientific communities with tools that enable them to make use of&nbsp; European Grid Infrastructure services is important for the successful engagement of&nbsp;EGI&nbsp;with new users. Portal technologies play an important role within this respect. Portals can eliminate barriers of e-Infrastructure access, portals can seamlessly integrate grids and the web. Because of their strong relation to users, portals are typically geared to specific users, applications, scientific use cases. Several national and community-specific teams and projects offer portals and "portal builder technologies" in EGI. With such a diversity it can be difficult to make a decision on which portal to use as a scientist, which portal builder technology to use as a portal developer.
 
<!--During the last EGI Technical Forum the User and Community Support Team of EGI.eu organized a [https://www.egi.eu/indico/sessionDisplay.py?sessionId=64&confId=452#20110920 <font color="#0000ff">topical workshop on portal technologies</font>] and tried to answer that question. An important outcome of the workshop was an agreement to create a "portal technology comparison table" for EGI. 
...consultation to collect information about existing portal technology solutions and to make a comparison. These questions were reviewed by the three main groups of people who participated in the [https://www.egi.eu/indico/sessionDisplay.py?sessionId=64&confId=452#20110920 <font color="#0000ff">topical workshop on portal technologies</font>], namely:  


*software developers who produce reusable components for portal development.  
*software developers who produce reusable components for portal development.  
*providers of portal services: both software based services (the portals themselves) and human services (such as consultancy and training)  
*providers of portal services: both software based services (the portals themselves) and human services (such as consultancy and training)  
*scientific communities who require and/or already use portals to interact with the e-Infrastructure
*scientific communities who require and/or already use portals to interact with the e-Infrastructure
-->


The survey (put link to zoomerang once survey is reviewed) is composed of two sections which collect basic and more detailed information about the technology. You can find the question below:
EGI responded to this need with the setup of a "portal technology comparison table". The table provides a review of existing and reusable portals, portal developer frameworks, portlets and components that exist within EGI. The table helps scientific communities and their software teams identify solutions that best meet their needs and should be considered when accessing or building portals.


====== Basic information  ======
The questions that are used within the table to describe and compare the different portals and portal frameworks have been defined through an [https://www.egi.eu/blog/2011/12/16/what_do_you_want_to_know_about_portals.html open process] during December 2011 - January 2012.


----
= Questions =
<pre>1. Name of the technology (Lifera, P-GRADE Portal,  Other)
This section lists the questions that are used within the to describe and review portals and portal builder frameworks that exists for users of the European Grid Infrastructure. New entries can be added to the table as described on that page.


2. Webpage of the technology.
<br>  
 
3. The described technology is:
 
* a complete portal (can be used “as it is”, its features cannot be customised)
 
* a portal framework (can be used “as it is”, and additionally features can be added, removed, changed)
 
* a portal component (for example a portlet, or a library for portal developers)
</pre>
 
====== Detailed information  ======


'''Basic information'''
<pre>1. Name of the portal (P-GRADE Portal, WeNMR Portal)
   
2. Webpage of the portal
 
3. The described portal is: 
 
* a complete portal (can be used “as it is”, its features cannot be customised) 
 
* a portal framework (can be used “as it is”, and additionally features can be added, removed, changed) 
 
* a portal component (for example a portlet, or a library for portal developers) 
</pre>
----
----
<pre>4. Is the technology open source? Under what license?


5. Who are the potential users of the technology and what kind of skills do they need to have? (e.g., which programming language skills are needed if the technology is for portal developers)
'''Detailed information'''
<pre>
4. Is the portal open source? Under what license? 
 
5. Who are the potential users of the portal and what kind of skills do they need to have? (e.g., which programming language skills are needed if the technology is for portal developers)  
 
6. What are the key features of the portal? (e.g., list of portlets in case of a complete portal) 
 
7. What are the distinguished features of the portal? (features that make this technology different from similar solutions) 
 
8. Which EGI services are accessible through the portal? (e.g., middleware services - gLite, ARC, Globus, Unicore; other services like a Helpdesk, a Requirements tracker, etc.) 
 
9. What is the supported security model and technology? 
 
10. Does the portal support workflow execution? If yes, for which workflow system? 
 
11. Is the portal available for download, or is it hosted as a service? </pre>
<br> <br>


6. What are the key features of the technology? (e.g., list of portlets in case of a complete portal)


7. What are the distinguished features of the technology? (features that make this technology different from similar solutions)
== Adding a new entry ==
New entries can be added to the table through this [LINK online survey]. The survey consists of two sections to collect basic and more detailed information about the technology to be added. If you wish to read the survey questions before filling the form please consult with [[Portal Technology Questions|this page]]. The survey is managed by the EGI.eu User Community Support Team, who validate the received information and add entries to the below, publicly accessible table. If you register your portal in the table please also consider registering it in the [http://appdb.egi.eu EGI Applications Database].


8. Which EGI services are accessible through the technology? (e.g., middleware services - gLite, ARC, Globus, Unicore; other services like a Helpdesk, a Requirements tracker, etc.)
== Changing an entry ==
Please email the requested change to the EGI.eu User Community Support Team - ucst@egi.eu.


9. What is the supported security model and technology?


10. Does the portal support workflow execution? If yes, for which workflow system?


11. Is the technology available for download, or is it hosted as a service? </pre>
= EGI Portal Technology Comparison Table  =
<br>
<br>
== Comparison Table  ==


The collected info is displayed in the following table.
The collected info is displayed in the following table.


{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1"
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1"
! Technology name
! Portal / <br>Portal technology name
! Technology availability
! Technology availability
! Portal category
! Portal category
Line 156: Line 170:
* Front end: HTML/PHP/CSS  
* Front end: HTML/PHP/CSS  
* Management and interfacing with the software: Python, Shell script
* Management and interfacing with the software: Python, Shell script
| Hosted as a service. Although the Python based validation component of the HADDOCK, CS-ROSETTA, UNIO and GROMACS portals is available as framework and can be [http://www.spyderware.nl downloaded].
| Complete portal
| Open source
| n.a.
|
|
|
| All portals are developed with common programming languages without specific frameworks apart from the Spyder python framework for data validation.
|
| The list of automated grid submission and polling scripts used behind the portals is available [http://www.wenmr.eu/wenmr/automated-grid-submission-and-polling-daemons here]
|
| Simplicity – combination of mainly python and shell scripting
|
| gLite WMS and LB
|
| n.a.
|
|
|
|
|
|
[http://haddock.science.uu.nl/enmr/services/HADDOCK/haddock.php HADDOCK],  
[http://haddock.science.uu.nl/enmr/services/HADDOCK/haddock.php HADDOCK],  
Line 174: Line 188:
|-  
|-  
|  
|  
* Front end: HTML/PHP/CSS
* Management and interfacing with the software: Python, Shell script
| Hosted as a service
| Complete portal
| Open source. A valid license is needed for the use of one of the software portals (CYANA).
| n.a.
|
|
|
| Python-CGI, shell script and HTML
|
| The list of automated grid submission and polling scripts used behind the portals is available [http://www.wenmr.eu/wenmr/automated-grid-submission-and-polling-daemons here]
|
| Simplicity – combination of mainly python and shell scripting
|
| gLite WMS and LB
|
| n.a.
|
|
|
|
|
|
[http://www.enmr.eu/webportal/cyana.html CYANA],
[http://www.enmr.eu/webportal/cyana.html CYANA],

Latest revision as of 08:46, 3 September 2015

Alert.png This article is Deprecated and should no longer be used, but is still available for reasons of reference.


THIS SITE WAS NEVER FINISHED. PLEASE DON'T USE IT.


About the table

Empowering scientific communities with tools that enable them to make use of  European Grid Infrastructure services is important for the successful engagement of EGI with new users. Portal technologies play an important role within this respect. Portals can eliminate barriers of e-Infrastructure access, portals can seamlessly integrate grids and the web. Because of their strong relation to users, portals are typically geared to specific users, applications, scientific use cases. Several national and community-specific teams and projects offer portals and "portal builder technologies" in EGI. With such a diversity it can be difficult to make a decision on which portal to use as a scientist, which portal builder technology to use as a portal developer.


EGI responded to this need with the setup of a "portal technology comparison table". The table provides a review of existing and reusable portals, portal developer frameworks, portlets and components that exist within EGI. The table helps scientific communities and their software teams identify solutions that best meet their needs and should be considered when accessing or building portals.

The questions that are used within the table to describe and compare the different portals and portal frameworks have been defined through an open process during December 2011 - January 2012.

Questions

This section lists the questions that are used within the to describe and review portals and portal builder frameworks that exists for users of the European Grid Infrastructure. New entries can be added to the table as described on that page.


Basic information

1. Name of the portal (P-GRADE Portal, WeNMR Portal)
    
2. Webpage of the portal
   
3. The described portal is:   
   
* a complete portal (can be used “as it is”, its features cannot be customised)   
   
* a portal framework (can be used “as it is”, and additionally features can be added, removed, changed)   
   
* a portal component (for example a portlet, or a library for portal developers)   

Detailed information

4. Is the portal open source? Under what license?   
   
5. Who are the potential users of the portal and what kind of skills do they need to have? (e.g., which programming language skills are needed if the technology is for portal developers)   
   
6. What are the key features of the portal? (e.g., list of portlets in case of a complete portal)   
   
7. What are the distinguished features of the portal? (features that make this technology different from similar solutions)   
   
8. Which EGI services are accessible through the portal? (e.g., middleware services - gLite, ARC, Globus, Unicore; other services like a Helpdesk, a Requirements tracker, etc.)   
   
9. What is the supported security model and technology?   
  
10. Does the portal support workflow execution? If yes, for which workflow system?   
   
11. Is the portal available for download, or is it hosted as a service? 




Adding a new entry

New entries can be added to the table through this [LINK online survey]. The survey consists of two sections to collect basic and more detailed information about the technology to be added. If you wish to read the survey questions before filling the form please consult with this page. The survey is managed by the EGI.eu User Community Support Team, who validate the received information and add entries to the below, publicly accessible table. If you register your portal in the table please also consider registering it in the EGI Applications Database.

Changing an entry

Please email the requested change to the EGI.eu User Community Support Team - ucst@egi.eu.


EGI Portal Technology Comparison Table

The collected info is displayed in the following table.

Portal /
Portal technology name
Technology availability Portal category Software license Security model Target audience Skills Features Key features EGI services available Workflow support Science gateway/Portal examples
Bundle of: Downloadable
  • Complete portal : Pylons
  • Portal framework : Dirac and robot certificate APIs
Open source (GPL) n.a. Portal developers
  • python
  • web portal development
  • grid accounting
  • grid admin
  • system admin
  • Pylons
    • open source Web application framework written in Python.
    • extensively use of the Web Server Gateway Interface standard to promote reusability and to separate functionality into distinct modules.
  • Robot certificate API
    • extracts proxy certificate from Aladdin etoken key
  • DIRAC
    • manages workload and data in a distributed computing environment
This allows the direcPylons is a Python web framework.t integration of all in-house/community python bioinformatics scripts.

Dirac API use Pylons.

WMS, Storage Elements, VOMS, myproxy n.a.

MaxOcc, Antechamber, AnisoFIT, Xplor-NIH, AMPS-NMR

Drupal Downloadable Portal framework Open source (GPL) n.a.
  • webdevelopers
  • webdesigners
  • site managers
  • Essential for developers
    • Programing languages (PHP, HTML, CSS)
    • SQL database management
  • For specific applications
    • Javascript
    • jQuery
  • Basic core
  • Rich module repository
  • Modules are easily adapted/built for specific needs
One of the most useful and used frameworks for community websites.
  • EGI requirements tracker (WeNMR specific)
  • Submission of EGI requirements
  • Applications database (WeNMR specific)
n.a. WeNMR science gateway
WS-PGRADE Portal Hosted as a service Complete portal Open source (GPL) n.a. Researchers that want to create images and movies with own dataset Portlet based iPhone/Smartphone application linked to the portlet (in progress) Middleware n.a. VisIVOWeb
  • Front end: HTML/PHP/CSS
  • Management and interfacing with the software: Python, Shell script
Hosted as a service. Although the Python based validation component of the HADDOCK, CS-ROSETTA, UNIO and GROMACS portals is available as framework and can be downloaded. Complete portal Open source n.a. All portals are developed with common programming languages without specific frameworks apart from the Spyder python framework for data validation. The list of automated grid submission and polling scripts used behind the portals is available here Simplicity – combination of mainly python and shell scripting gLite WMS and LB n.a.

HADDOCK, CS-ROSETTA, 3D-DART, GROMACS, UNIO

  • Front end: HTML/PHP/CSS
  • Management and interfacing with the software: Python, Shell script
Hosted as a service Complete portal Open source. A valid license is needed for the use of one of the software portals (CYANA). n.a. Python-CGI, shell script and HTML The list of automated grid submission and polling scripts used behind the portals is available here Simplicity – combination of mainly python and shell scripting gLite WMS and LB n.a.

CYANA, MARS, MDD-NMR, UPLABEL