In the Physics Division there are several groups involved in different types of research programs, detector R&D, big collaboration experiments short and long term, Astrophysics projects, and all with very different needs.

The systems currently in use span from UNIX workstations serving many users through X-terminals or PC desktops used as a terminal clusters of PC desktops where the data are stored locally, and still some VMS systems. There is also a substantial use of the LBNL-NERSC PDSF cluster. In addition, there are several Windows 98, and WNT PC systems used for word processing, graphics, and data acquisition.

Computers for data acquisition are not considered in this document but they constitute not a negligible fraction of the computers used in the physics division. They are mostly PC’s (WNT) and in some cases real time UNIX processors. They are the crucial for detector development and production for large projects. Maintenance and backup are crucial for these machines, and they should not be completely ignored in the computing needs. So far, maintenance for PC’s has not been fully satisfactory while very expensive. This is an area that needs improvement.

Just recently, due to budget cuts, representatives of each group started to discuss how to minimize the cost of computing with of course no impact on the research program.

The main immediate goal for the physics division computing is to reduce the cost for the maintenance of UNIX workstations.

This can be achieved by replacing multiple workstations with fewer centralized servers for which maintenance is required and have more uniform desktop systems.

A couple of groups already succeeded on this process by replacing expensive workstations with PC clusters, running LINUX and maintained by an internal support person.

Also backup services, so far very expensive, have been replaced by internal support.

Several groups are working on improving their computing scenario for the future.

Participating in large international collaboration projects involves a great usage of video-conferencing and exchange of document through the web, hence heavily depends on a high-level network system.

Cost-effective videoconferencing is crucial to keep in touch with such projects. Therefore telecommunication is an area that needs to be kept at high levels and the development of cost-effective solutions is greatly appreciated.

Remote access is also an area that is crucial to many scientists in the physics division. Anything that would improve speed, security and reliability is followed very closely.