In the OSG, what is the Integration Grid?

The OSG Integration Grid, sometimes referred to as the Integration Testbed or ITB, is a separate instance of the OSG infrastructure used for testing applications and services at scale and in a heterogenous environment prior to their deployment on the Production Grid. The constituency of the Integration Grid is dynamic. Resources may only be there for purposes of specific tests or be dedicated to Integration use only. At least one instance of all standard OSG services is maintained in the Integration Grid for compatibility testing.

Providers of new services on OSG write a Service Readiness Plan describing the service; how to install and configure it; the tests to be performed on the Integration Testbed; and metrics for success of those tests. New services providers then participate in the Integration Activity to make the service ready for use in production.

The diagram on the Grid Architecture page illustrates the process of moving a service from integration to production.

The Integration Grid is monitored by The VO Resource Selector (VORS).

The Integration Activity coordinates the Integration Grid and holds weekly phone conferences (in addition to a very active mailing list), which provide the forum to review issues and plans. Participation in the Integration Grid is open to all participants in OSG, but implies an effort commitment of greater than 25% FTE for the duration of the testing and a willingness to respond to requests from fellow participants to investigate issues and configuration options. The Integration Grid is not intended to be a training grid for new participants to join and develop basic skills in operating or interacting with grids.