Skip to main content

Virtualization and HPC

To see how virtualization might play in HPC, let's consider how programs operate on a cluster. A parallel MPI program is basically a collection of individual programs (processes) running on the same or different node. Messages are essentially a way to copy memory from one program to another. Programs are "placed" on specific idle nodes/cores by a scheduling program (such as PBS, Sun Grid Engine, or Torque). The programs are managed by the all-knowing scheduler and once placed on a node, stay there until complete. Communication takes place over an interconnect, but as far as the scheduler is concerned, what you do with your nodes is your business. This model has worked well for HPC clustering although it is not the only one.

Virtualization allows the OS instance (and subsequent programs) to be run on top of a hypervisor. Because the hypervisor insulates the OS instance from the hardware it allows the OS and running programs to be migrated from one hypervisor to another.


There's also a poll, do participate!

AS of now the results of the poll are going in this direction:

Virtualization & HPC

Will Virtualization help solve some of your HPC issue?
chart
Would multiple/custom distribution support on the same cluster be helpful?
chart
What is the most important capability that virtualization could bring to your HPC environment?
chart
Would you like to learn more about Virtualization and HPC?
chart
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Security: VMware Workstation 6 vulnerability

vulnerable software: VMware Workstation 6.0 for Windows, possible some other VMware products as well type of vulnerability: DoS, potential privilege escalation I found a vulnerability in VMware Workstation 6.0 which allows an unprivileged user in the host OS to crash the system and potentially run arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The issue is in the vmstor-60 driver, which is supposed to mount VMware images within the host OS. When sending the IOCTL code FsSetVoleInformation with subcode FsSetFileInformation with a large buffer and underreporting its size to at max 1024 bytes, it will underrun and potentially execute arbitrary code. Security focus
Post a Comment
Read more

Virtualization: GlassHouse hopes to cash in with its IPO!

GlassHouse Technologies Inc. on Tuesday registered to raise as much as $100 million in an initial public offering that, despite the company's financial losses, could prove a hit with investors drawn to its focus on "virtualization" technology. The Framingham, Mass., company offers consulting services for companies that use virtualization software to improve the performance of corporate servers and cut costs in their data centers. GlassHouse also provides Internet-based data storage. "Software-as-a-service," or SaaS, companies and vendors of virtualization products have proved popular among investors in recent years as corporate customers seek alternatives to conventional packaged software. GlassHouse, with roots in both sectors, will test the strength of that interest, said Peter Falvey, managing director with Boston investment bank Revolution Partners. "It will be a bit of a bell weather," he says. "It's not as though it's the 15th SaaS m...
Post a Comment
Read more