High-level GIP Overview

The Generic Information Provider (GIP) is designed to be a modular information system for grid computing. It aims to provide both static and dynamic information about a site on the grid.

GIP Architecture.

The GIP combines the following information:

• Static LDIF generated by the configuration tools ($VDT_LOCATION/vdt/setup/configure_gip) and stored in $VDT_LOCATION/lcg/var/gip/ldif
• Dynamically generated LDAP entries from scripts in $VDT_LOCATION/lcg/var/gip/provider
• Dynamic updates to static entries from scripts in $VDT_LOCATION/lcg/var/gip/plugin.

Upcoming directory layout and environment changes

• The VDT will set the $GIP_LOCATION environment variable to point to the GIP's top-level directory.
• The top-level GIP directory is $VDT_LOCATION/gip
• The LDIF will go in $GIP_LOCATION/var/ldif
• Providers go to $GIP_LOCATION/providers and plugins in $GIP_LOCATION/plugins.

-- BrianBockelman - 20 Feb 2008