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Goals

Goals. How can programs using MRCs help each other? How can ITSD help MRC-using programs? Is there utility in creating a shared resource?. Scientist to Scientist. Web server/mailing list for MRC (Gary) setup and admin experiences Partner ads Cluster user group?. Scientist to Scientist.

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Goals

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  1. Goals • How can programs using MRCs help each other? • How can ITSD help MRC-using programs? • Is there utility in creating a shared resource?

  2. Scientist to Scientist • Web server/mailing list for MRC (Gary) • setup and admin experiences • Partner ads • Cluster user group?

  3. Scientist to Scientist

  4. Support for Scientists

  5. Support for Scientists

  6. Shared Resources--Alvarez

  7. Shared Resources--PDSF

  8. Shared Resources—Existing Cluster

  9. Shared Resources—NERSC Center

  10. Shared Resource--Institutional • Identify the full population of MRCs and the total of the individual costs of management, i.e., are there economies of scale to be gained. • What science could we do if we had an MRC that we’re not doing now? • What science could we do cheaper and faster with an MRC? • There is unsatisfied demand for MRC, quantify? How much MPP, how much serial?

  11. Miscellaneous • Barrier to enter parallel coding exists: • Collaboration between computer scientists and potential computational scientists • Computational scientist to computational scientist help will be hard to come by, given dollars and time • There exists NERSC training and NERSC web-based training

  12. Miscellaneous • Better turnaround than PDSF, ability for single user to meet a deadline • Program-specific, non-sharable (or reservable), resources for real-time computing/analysis in support of large-scale data acquisition, e.g., gamma-ray spectrometer, electron microscope, telescope

  13. Miscellaneous • Mini-proceedings of this workshop • How do we help those whose software is at the cusp? • Comments: • There’s a better way to do things than what we’re doing now, but it’s hard to identify. • Pooling resources increases instantaneous CPU bandwidth.

  14. Miscellaneous • Learn from PDSF model. • Clusters can be optimized for applications. One size cluster does not fit all. Need to determine specific application needs (possible consulting). • Pessimism about shared resources. Alvarez unstable, PDSF not sufficiently generic, sharing with NERSC has difficulties. • Collect information about existing MRC usage, platforms, and success/non-success stories. • Piggybacking or building on existing cluster could result from success stories. • Professional support appears overly expensive. Can these costs come down with time?

  15. Miscellaneous • Two solutions would fit most people: explore more nodes on IBM SP, or consider loss-leader on ITSD Linux cluster • Surprised that focus is mostly on clusters. Not sure all applications can use clusters. Other architectures? • No center of knowledge on clusters. Web page may be beginning of that. • People on the cusp need to have a cluster to try. • Need interactive forum.

  16. Miscellaneous • Open-source clusters. • Some groups’ needs already being met by NERSC • Develop computational requirements model and cost it • Prepurchase consulting including match-making • Some groups need centralized computer room facilities and central administration, but pessimistic about sharing a computing resource • Small clusters should be optimized for specific applications; sharing them is couter-intuitive.

  17. Miscellaneous • What can ITSD provide that fits within existing funding: acquisition advice, housing, not systems administration • Systems administration is seen as desirable but expensive • Acquiring institutional system or institutional subsidy of systems administration has major hurdles • Joining PDSF or similar model system is viable option for some groups.

  18. Miscellaneous • Software training in parallelization (scientist to scientist) • Parallel programs user group. • SMPs may have advantage. • Early economies of scale seem to be in order of 50%. • Community is not ready for resource sharing, systems admin is critical but expensive; information sharing is the best path forward.

  19. Miscellaneous • Have to make scientific case for long-term solution; short-term solutions may disappear. • There’s a point where if you can’t do it faster and better, you’re not going to do it at all. Some groups are at that point. • Helpful to have division person participating with ITSD in building cluster, so they’re trained for support. • Scientists should be doing science, not IT. Professionals can do a better job.

  20. Path Forward • Proceedings • Detailed Models • Web site/email list

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