CONDUIT, the Second Generation

An evolutionary process of dealing with a diverse group of researchers, at institutions across the country, is converging on a successful path toward timely distribution of high-resolution model data sets from National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Cooperative Opportunity for NCEP Data Using IDD Technology (CONDUIT), a project with the US Weather Research Program, NOAA, NASA and UCAR's Unidata, was launched in December 1998. Since that time, researchers have tested distribution methodologies, beginning with a dedicated T-1 between NWS/Office of Systems Operations and NASA-Goddard.

Advancements in communications technologies have played a key role in the second generation CONDUIT. Over the past three years, Internet2/Abilene (the academically-oriented component of NGI), NGI (Next-Generation Internet, a multi-agency Federal research and development program) have matured, with many institutions taking advantage of broader bandwidth capacity to enhance collaborative research and networking projects. Combining the latest version of Unidata's LDM, featuring "push" rather than "pull" technology, in conjunction with Internet2, provides a powerful solution to dealing with the myriad of model data made available from NCEP.

Lessons learned by transitioning through this process have been instrumental in building a system that accommodates data transmissions of over 300 megabytes of data per hour, an aggregate of several gigabytes per day.