DIRAC: data production management

The LHCb Computing Model describes the dataflow for all stages in the processing of real and simulated events, and defines the role of LHCb associated Tier-1 and Tier-2 computing centers. The WLCG 'Dress Rehearsal' exercise aims to allow LHC experiments to deploy the full chain of their Computing Models, making use of all underlying WLCG services and resources, in preparation for real data taking. During this exercise simulated RAW physics data, matching the properties of eventual real data, will be uploaded from the LHCb Online storage system to Grid enabled storage. This data will then be replicated to LHCb Tier-1 centers and subsequently processed (reconstructed and stripped). The product of this processing is user analysis data that are distributed to all LHCb Tier-1 centers. DIRAC, LHCbs Workload and Data Management System, supports the implementation of the Computing Model in a data driven, real time and coordinated fashion. In this paper the LHCb Computing Model will be reviewed and the DIRAC components providing the needed functionality to support the Computing Model will be detailed. An evaluation of the preparedness for real data taking will also be given.