I knew the next generation of NOAAport was going to undergo major changes.
But check this out!
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/dm-cgi-bin/chgshow.pl?fn=P040301.txt
This memo, just out this afternoon, describes 8 phases of the upgrade
that will be completed in 2005, if all goes well:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phase 1:
Provide a technical report to NOAAPort users that describes the open
source (zlib) compression algorithm and a method on how to decompress zlib
compressed data. zlib is already used to compress NEXRAD radar data over
NOAAPort. In conjunction with the technical report, sample zlib compressed
products will be transmitted over both GOES East and West for NOAAPort
users to test with.
Phase 2:
Compress all products on both GOES East and GOES West using and open
source (zlib) compression algorithm.
Phase 3:
Combine both GOES East and GOES West data feeds on both GOES East and
GOES West channels.
Phase 4:
Cease transmission of GOES data on either the former GOES East or former
GOES West channel (specific channel to be determined at a later date).
Phase 5:
Use the satellite space from the vacated GOES channel to test the DVB-S
technology over the NOAAPort link.
Phase 6:
Begin operational use of DVB-S technology over the vacated GOES channel,
and begin compressing the NWSTG channel.
Phase 7:
Migrate the NWSTG and OCONUS (Non-GOES Imagery/DCP « T1 channel) channels
onto a single DVB-S channel.
Phase 8:
Scale the DVB-S NOAAPort channel to handle the demands of new sciences.
Tentative Schedule (Based on successful completion of each earlier phase).
Phase 1 4/7/03
Phase 2 8/4/03
Phase 3 8/25/03
Phase 4 9/1/03
Phase 5 9/2/03
Phase 6 9/2/04
Phase 7 1/2/05
Phase 8 9/1/05
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK. So in 2 1/2 years, they could conceivably crank the speed of NOAAport
up to 20 times what it is now. Yeah, yeah, I know. This certainly
won't be perfect and you know some of this will be delayed. Still,
it's now not a matter of if...but of when. And, there's no way we (NIU)
could allow that sort of a feed through our current Internet pipeline.
Then, how can the machines handle it? In less than two years, all the
text products get zlib compressed. How are we going to handle that
through the LDM, making them uncompress on the fly, perhaps? Will we need
a Pentium 7 to handle it? Will we all need our own receivers?
The times, they are interesting! Comments welcome.
*******************************************************************************
Gilbert Sebenste ********
Internet: gilbert@xxxxxxx (My opinions only!) ******
Staff Meteorologist, Northern Illinois University ****
E-mail: sebenste@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ***
web: http://weather.admin.niu.edu **
Work phone: 815-753-5492 *
*******************************************************************************
