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MRC Recap/Progress/Path forward

MRC Recap/Progress/Path forward. March – MRC Workshop Centralized services are of interest Not clear whether there is lab-wide requirement for MRC June – Division Director’s Retreat MRC presentation by Sandy Merola and Horst Simon Favorable response to idea to provide MRC services

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MRC Recap/Progress/Path forward

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  1. MRC Recap/Progress/Path forward • March – MRC Workshop • Centralized services are of interest • Not clear whether there is lab-wide requirement for MRC • June – Division Director’s Retreat • MRC presentation by Sandy Merola and Horst Simon • Favorable response to idea to provide MRC services • July – Sandy presented proposal to Ops and Scientific Division Heads • Overhead/recharge funded MRC 2-year Start-up Program • Scientific Division Heads interested • Currently – ITSD starting to refine proposal and line up potential applicants for program • September – Next chance to secure funding for overhead supported program

  2. MRC Two Year Start-up Program • Intended to reduce costs to programs and improve use of scientific computing • Services provided to selected projects • Exact number of projects accommodated depends on demand, funding, show impact on lab science • Target minimal level is support 60 nodes – approximately 6 systems • Projects staged in over first year of program • Funded by overhead with possible modest recharge • Possible end states in FY’05 • Demand for computing will have led to an Institutional MRC • Remove subsidy; MRC support services are self-sufficient • Remove subsidy; MRC support is not feasible or needed

  3. Program Services • Services provided as part of program (overhead with possible modest recharge) • Computer room space • Test cluster • Pre-purchase consulting and procurement assistance • Initial setup and configuration • On-going system admin and security support • A la carte services – recharge • Backup and archive • Services not provided by program • Applications porting support

  4. User Perspective What do they get? • Computer room location • Expertise, consulting, setup, configuration at $0 • Consistent Sys admin and security support for remainder of program • Undecided whether modest recharge for this, weighing tradeoffs What does it cost them? • Electric/space post pilot • $0-modest recharge during pilot for system admin and security support (10 nodes/~ $6K) • Full recharge for support post pilot) (depending on support level and configuration, e.g. 10 nodes/~$12K-$24K) Why would they want to do this? • Less expensive than if they did it themselves (10 nodes/~$0-$25K for ¼ postdoc) even though it’s a hidden cost (see next slide) • Guarantees a properly working and secure system • Incentive to make change to cluster computing, increase science output

  5. Lab Perspective Economy-of-scale cost savings • Leveraging of technical expertise • Standardized approach to support saves $$ Hidden cost savings • Allows scientists to do science instead of systems administration • Minimizes the guesswork in purchase, configuration decisions • Results in more computational throughput Other benefits • Motivates paradigm shift to cluster and parallel computing • Access to MRC computing helps keep our scientists competitive with scientists at other labs • Funding based on analysis of current needs. Expanding this program beyond 4-6 new systems will require additional funds

  6. Next Steps • ITSD currently refining proposals and needs help lining up applicant projects • Gather information about applicants • Workshop survey • MRC/CSAC identified • ITSD identified • Prioritize applicants based on criteria • Check for success factors • Create natural groupings and associated budget • Present proposal in September

  7. How Can MRC-WG Help? • Help refine application • Help identify applicants • Conduct project interviews to gather information • Relay information to ITSD for prioritization • Note: • Competitive process • Program will fund limited number of applicants

  8. Other Information • Communicate expectations for projects participating in program, .e.g. • Must exceed minimal size • Root access • Conform to standard configuration • Existing and new clusters are candidates • Timeline • July 29 – Today’s talk • August 5 – MRC-WG members receive applications and supporting materials • August 23 – Deadline for applications to be returned to ITSD • Accurate and thoughtful input on applications critical • Success of project in prioritized list • Success of resulting proposal to lab management • This program should not preclude institutional system at some future point if that is “the right thing”

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