Minutes of the ITC-Research Computing Standing Committee Meeting
August 28, 2000 at 10:30 AM in Astronomy 117

Members: Dawn, Ed, Hamp, Jim J., Mark S., Mark Mc, Martha, Michael, Robin, Stan, Sue Ellen, Tim S., Tim T., Tom S.
Convener: Tim T.
In Attendance: Dawn, Ed, Hamp, Jim J., Martha, Michael, Robin, Stan, Sue Ellen, Tim S., Tim T., Tom S.
Recorder: Tim T.
Next Meeting: Nov 27, 2000 at 10:30 AM in Astronomy 117.

Click here to see the agenda from this meeting.

To Dos & Old Business:

Research Computing platforms and SP

Tom reported that Andrew Grimshaw is planning on going with Codiene for batch queueing. He's unhappy with PBS/PBSPro.
In addition, the Centurion cluster is sick, about half turned off because of A/C issues, problems with failing components on the machines. The Alphas are worse than the PCs. Not sure we need to match what they're doing. Legion is OK.
Hamp: PBS - we need them to be more current with the OS, the are porting to 2 versions behind Solaris release.

Agreed to purchase support for PBSPro for $1,895.

Research Computing Funds Allocation

Suggestion list distilled from June 26 meeting:

  1. Help Andrew Grimshaw/Legion with additional disk capacity for Centurion and well as funds for maintenance and repair.
  2. Funds for software for Centurions, such as compilers, extending licenses for popular research software (e.g, Matlab) to Centurions, etc.
  3. Additional RAID array disk capacity for Crick.
  4. Expand SP, with either thin or wide nodes, possibly SMP node(s).
  5. Expand HSM capacity.
  6. Additional SGIs, (in reference to Tom's comments about Mendel).
Hamp: we can drop #5, We still have $40K left in the maggie budget that will be used to quadruple capacity of the HSM, new tape drives, etc.
Tom: RAID array for Crick ($17K) is on the ETF list with ITC and Health Science, should know by late September. He's also asked for an additional Beowulf cluster ($40K).
Jim: If we drop Centurion, we could add Linux cluster back to list.
Hamp: 2 problems with Linux cluster - Still have UID issues, need 2.4 kernel and RedHat 7.1 to get 32-bit UID working. Don't have Systems support for Linux cluster, only individual Linux workstations. Can run a remote shell to backup the cluster. These are 2 big concerns. Linux cluster will need additional dollars for support.
Tom: Cluster units don't need to be backed up. And could carefully define support. For GCG, they plan to have it be run by web submission.
Jim: Could be 9 months to a year before it's production.
Hamp: 2.4 Kernel is suppose to release this fall, so a year from now we might be ready.

SP
Load Limit change was enacted in May. In June it was noted that some jobs in the 200 hour queue for 2 weeks. Wall clock time to completion is lengthening.

Tim S: what's usage on SP?
Ed: some days, low usage of nodes. some days there are jobs waiting in queues.
we need nodes for interactive testing and debugging.
Ed will generate usage statistics, find out who's using it.
Jim: Are Orange and Teal being used, any usage data?
Tim T: do have users on it, know it's still in pre-production state. Waiting on PBSPro ready to use before making big announcement.
Jim: Could we announce - is there a downside to this?
Decided we'd announce October 1st with or without PBSPro.

Purchasing software - Need to get software for Linux. Fortran compilers, etc.
Dawn: could we purchase software with the ResComp funds?
Jim: one time fees are OK, reoccuring costs are not.
Ed: IMSL is coming out with a Linux version, we have a 25 user concurrent license.

HSM
Jim: is anyone close to quota of 20GB?
Hamp: Jennie Moody might be with her daily weather data archiving. He'll look at individual limits.
Hamp: Issue - if a faculty member wants a graduate students data (who has left), who gets the request? We must hear from the grad. student that this is OK.
Concensus was that the request ought to go through User Accounts, ResComp support group can help with contacting.
Jim: Let's make sure we contact grad students and faculty in spring, explaining ownership issues, etc.

Research Computing Support Center (RCSC)
No news

New Business

Tom: What about ability to burn DVDs? Do we have capability?
Nope - no clear standard yet for DVD burning.
Discussed meeting frequency. Decided to meet bi-monthly, on odd numbered months. So next meeting will be November 27.

Meeting adjourned at 11:50, next meeting November 27, 2000, 10:30 AM

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by Tim F.J. Tolson