[Beowulf] HPC cloud bursting providers?

[Jeff Friedman]

Thank you for the info, it is helpful. Do you mind if I ask what cluster management software you are using? Where there modifications or special functions needed to include cloud nodes in the cluster? I am trying to envision how the traditional provisioning and management apps would communicate with cloud nodes, since some of the normal network protocols would not be in place (for image installation, remote boot, tftp, etc).

I have read about a few companies that allow bursting into AWS, which made me think you needed certain cluster mgmt software or add-on functionality. 

Thanks again, 

Jeff Friedman
Sales Engineer
c: 206.819.2824
www.siliconmechanics.com


On Feb 20, 2017, at 6:44 PM, Lev Lafayette <lev.lafayette at unimelb.edu.au> wrote:

On Tue, 2017-02-21 at 12:40 +1100, Lachlan Musicman wrote:
> I know that it's been done successfully here by the University of
> Melbourne's Research Platforms team - but they are bursting into the
> non commercial Aust govt Open Stack installation Nectar.
> http://nectar.org.au
> 

More specifically, part of Melbourne's node of NeCTAR is used a
partition for our HPC system, Spartan. We have tested cloud-bursting
with a further partition (reading 'bursting' as the ability to quickly
deploy a set of additional resources more or less "on demand"). We're
introducing external cloud partitions as well to the system.

Short version is the use of a cloud partition works really well for us,
and in particular suits our user profile in terms of the jobs they run
etc.

All the best,


-- 
Lev Lafayette, BA (Hons), GradCertTerAdEd (Murdoch), GradCertPM, MBA
(Tech Mngmnt) (Chifley)
HPC Support and Training Officer +61383444193 +61432255208
Department of Infrastructure Services, University of Melbourne