Unidata 2009 Training Workshop

Status Report

Unidata’s training workshops are developed and presented by the software developers and support staff for each package, so you can be sure to get your questions answered.  

This year the workshop will be held during the dates of July 29 – August 15, 2009

The topics that will be covered for each session are as follows:

McIDAS: Wednesday, July 29 - Saturday, August 1 - Unidata Conference Room (FL-4)

Data access in McIDAS follows a client-server architecture known as the Abstract Data Distribution Environment (ADDE). The workshop's focus is on ADDE concepts from both client and server perspectives including creating and publishing datasets. Additional topics will include: McIDAS-X system installation and setup; installation and configuration of the McIDAS-XCD (McIDAS decoders for NOAAPORT datastream data) and LDM-MCIDAS packages (Unidata-Wisconsin datastream decoders); McIDAS scripting facilities; and manipulation of locally-held and remote image, point, and grid datasets.  

Basic netCDF for Data Providers and Developers: Monday, August 3 - Center Green Bldg 1 Auditorium

• Overview of the netCDF-3 and netCDF-4 data models and architecture
• Description of programming interfaces for various languages
• Generic netCDF utilities
• Best practices for providing data and developing archives
• Conventions for coordinate systems, gridded, and observational data
• NetCDF-4 features, and guidance on use
• How to make use of netCDF-4 features in existing programs
• Remote data access with netCDF
• Install/programming help from the netCDF developers: bring your laptop! 

Advanced netCDF for Data Providers and Developers: Tuesday, August 4 - Center Green Bldg 1 Auditorium

• NetCDF-3 and netCDF-4 data models and architecture in detail
• Description of C API
• Description of Fortran 90 API
• Description of netCDF-Java, the Common Data Model, NcML, and aggregation
• NetCDF utilities, new features and advanced capabilities
• Remote access with netCDF-4
• Using CF Conventions with netCDF
• Using libcf with netCDF
• Parallel I/O with netCDF
• Converting existing software to parallel I/O with netCDF-4
• Performance tips and results
• NetCDF-4 features, performance, compatibility, and guidance on use
• Results from netCDF user survey
• Install/programming help from the netCDF developers: bring your laptop!

THREDDS Data Server Administration: Wednesday, August 5 - Thursday, August 6 - Unidata Conference Room (FL-4)

This two day session is for system administrators and data providers to learn how to install, configure and maintain the THREDDS Data Server (TDS). Security, debugging, adding metadata, and serving IDD data are also covered.

LDM: Friday, August 7 - Saturday, August 8 - Unidata Conference Room (FL-4)

This session will cover LDM site management. Topics will include LDM installation, configuration, tuning, troubleshooting, and maintenance. Attendees are expected to have a working knowledge of Unix and Internet networking, including the following:

• file-systems
• system-logging
• user-account administration
• installing packages from source code
• general concepts of Internet Protocol networking

Note: Material will cover one and one-half days. The afternoon of the second day will be available for those who would like assistance remotely managing their LDM installation.

GEMPAK: Monday, August 10 - Wednesday, August 12 - Unidata Conference Room (FL-4)

This session will describe how to use the GEMPAK package in a variety of real-time and research contexts. Topics covered will include general design concepts, graphical user interfaces, writing interactive and batch scripts, configuring decoders and data tables, use with archived and case study data sets, output device drivers, and data formats.

IDV: Thursday, August 13 - Saturday, August 15 - Unidata Conference Room (FL-4)

This session will cover installing and configuring the IDV, loading, displaying, and manipulating data, creating custom diagnostic functions, and scripting.  If time permits and there is interest, some time will be devoted to cover issues such as creating custom applications, adding new data sources and displays.

A few points of interest

• The Registration pages for the workshop went live on April 2, 2009
• The workshop has been announced on Facebook and Twitter
• All attendees this year will receive thumb drives with Unidata software preloaded
• As of April 21st we have 1 registrant (netCDF), although we have not heavily advertised, so as not to conflict with Users Workshop advertising.

updated on 4/21/2009