A Computational Cluster for Advanced Plasma Physics Simulations
Abstract
This DURIP equipment award was used to purchase, install, and bring on-line a computational cluster for plasma physics simulations. An SGI integrated cluster environment "ICE" unit was purchased, featuring 192 2.8 GHz processors (on 24 nodes) with 384 GB highspeed RAM on an Infiniband backbone. Additional nodes include an 8-processor login node (32 GB RAM) and a data server with a 6 TB RAID6 Infiniband system, plus "admin" and "rack leader" nodes. SGI personnel setup the system on-site, with additional integration performed by our local IT personnel. SGI also installed cluster control software and licenses for the SUSE-based Linux operating system. Software was purchased and installed including Intel Fortran and C/C++ compiler suites (debuggers, performance measurements, etc.), the TotalView parallel debugger, and the MOAB/PBS scheduling software. Comparisons were made amongst several cluster manufacturers, including Cray, IBM, Dell, Silicon Mechanics, Rackable Sytems, and SiCortex before deciding on the SGI ICE model as the most "turn-key" system. The system was ordered in late 2008 and arrived in early 2009 and was up and running routinely with local users in a few weeks. Local University of Washington computational groups have made extensive use of the DURIP cluster, running several different advanced extended MHD/two-fluid codes. This DURIP award has greatly increased turnaround time and productivity for these groups.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 08, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA517028
Entities
People
- Brian A. Nelson
- Uri Shumlak
Organizations
- University of Washington