CINECA

Leading Supercomputing Center in Italy Eases Use, Improves Access with New Cluster

CINECA wanted to make supercomputing resources available to more researchers from private industry sectors, but many were unfamiliar with its Linux-based tools and interfaces. To improve access to high-performance computing, CINECA decided to become an early adopter of Windows® HPC Server 2008. Researchers will be able to connect to the new cluster from remote locations, and CINECA looks forward to offering supercomputing resources to a broader range of researchers.

Business Needs

Located in Bologna, Italy, CINECA is a nonprofit consortium that includes 32 Italian universities; the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics; the National Research Council; and the Ministry of Education, University and Research. The consortium provides supercomputing resources and IT solutions for academic and public institutions as well as private industry. It is the largest supercomputing center in Italy and has more than 350 employees. In addition to providing supercomputing resources, CINECA represents Italy in European Union projects that promote and develop advanced information technologies.

It will be a big benefit for us to offer researchers a high-performance computing resource with a familiar interface and a natural, user-friendly way to use the cluster from home.  Dr. Marco Voli CINECA

The consortium is committed to making supercomputing resources more widely available. However, its high-performance computing (HPC) systems were Linux-based, and CINECA realized that an increasing number of researchers, especially those in private industry sectors, were unfamiliar with Linux-based tools and interfaces. Acquiring the necessary expertise to use the consortium’s resources was too time-consuming and costly for many enterprises. Dr. Marco Voli at CINECA says, “We realized that we offered only Linux, and that by offering HPC solutions based on Windows®, we could complement and enhance our offering portfolio.”

CINECA customers manage their own projects, and the consortium’s role is to provide the computing resources. Voli says, “They ask from us only access and the ability to use our systems, manage data, and extract information.” He believed that CINECA could provide better service if researchers did not have to acquire specialized knowledge to use its computing resources. He also thought it would improve service if researchers could use HPC resources from remote locations such as their homes and offices while working with Windows-based systems. CINECA wanted to offer HPC resources that would be easier to use by researchers in all fields.

Solution

CINECA decided to start implementing Windows HPC Server 2008 in its HPC center in mid-2008. It believed that the Windows tools and interface would be easier for many researchers to use. CINECA was also interested in designing a solution that it could integrate with its existing Active Directory® service infrastructure.

The consortium turned to NICE, an IT services provider, to help install its new Windows HPC Server 2008 cluster. NICE and the consortium installed a 16-node test cluster on HP ProLiant BL460c server computers. Although CINECA had not deployed a Windows-based compute cluster before, the team installed the nodes quickly using the template-based deployment system—a built-in feature of Windows HPC Server 2008.

Although the team encountered some initial problems due to hardware architecture, the administrative interface helped smooth implementation by providing CINECA with tools for monitoring and managing the HPC system. With cluster deployment complete, the consortium is exploring possibilities for connecting the new cluster to its corporate Active Directory and public (enterprise) network. In addition, it is investigating ways to allow users to connect remotely to the cluster. It expects to complete the project and move the cluster into production by March 2009.

CINECA will also use the solution’s LINPACK Benchmark to measure the performance of Windows HPC Server 2008 on the test cluster. CINECA looks forward to using the new advanced Job Scheduler features to give researchers more flexibility and control over cluster resources. In addition, monitoring tools such as the new heat map will help CINECA administrators ensure better utilization and availability of cluster nodes.

Benefits

By implementing Windows HPC Server 2008, CINECA is making supercomputing resources more broadly available in Italy. Researchers will no longer need to learn specialized Linux skills, and they will have the flexibility to work from almost any location. CINECA customers will be able to work more easily, and the consortium will benefit from improved deployment and management. Benefits include the following:

• Improved customer service. As one of the first supercomputing centers in Italy to offer researchers a Windows-based HPC solution, CINECA will appeal to a wider range of customers. Most researchers, particularly those in private industry, do not have time to acquire specialized IT skills. Now they can work with an HPC cluster that has an interface similar to the ones they use in their office environments. “The interface is a familiar Windows feature, and it’s very easy to understand from the beginning,” says Voli.
• Better accessibility. Because the cluster integrates with the existing Active Directory infrastructure and enterprise network, CINECA researchers will be able to securely connect to the cluster from remote locations such as their homes and offices. Voli says, “It will be a big benefit for us to offer researchers a high-performance computing resource with a familiar interface and a natural, user-friendly way to use the cluster from home.”
• Easier deployment and management. Administrators can use built-in tools to automate and speed deployment. For example, CINECA and NICE streamlined setup and configuration by using system templates to create and deploy standardized system images across the cluster. Built-in management consoles and tools will also ease cluster administration. For example, the new Microsoft System Center interface includes a heat map with a graphical overview that shows system use. Administrators can also simplify management by using Windows PowerShell™ or other command-line interfaces and scripting languages.

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Document published June 2008