TGQR 2010Q4 Report.pdf - Teragridforum.org

helped Robert Coridan (UIUC) to explore wehteher he could install and use Lumerical software
on TeraGrid machines.
SDSC staff worked on developing software stack, documentation, and user environment for the
new Trestles resource. Extensive benchmarking was performed for several applications including
AMBER, NAMD, ABAQUS, Velvet, SOAPdenovo, and ABySS. User services staff also ran
synthetic benchmarks like HPCC on the system. The high performance linpack (HPL) result was
submitted to the top 500 list (Trestles is at #111) and also used to compute the SU conversion
factors with other TG machines (TG documentation has been updated with this information).
SDSC staff worked with early users to port their codes and run jobs in the friendly user phase of
the operations. SDSC user services also assisted in the integration of the lustre parallel filesystem
(Data Oasis) and conducted extensive I/O testing and benchmarking from Trestles. SDSC staff
worked to develop a framework to run Hadoop via the PBS scheduler, and using persistent global
storage in combination with local SSD storage on Dash. This setup is currently being tested by
friendly users. SDSC hosted the “Grand Challenges in Data-Intensive Discovery” conference in
October, 2010. As part of the conference, user services staff presented and participated in a panel
session detailing early user experiences with the Dash system.
Under the User Champions program (section 5.2), TACC staff contacted 68 PIs with new or
renewal awards granted for the allocation period beginning October 1, 2010. Responses were
received from 10 PIs and TACC staff members resolved any user issues or referred them to the
appropriate site for resolution. TACC also initiated contact with 87 “startup” principal
investigators whose allocations began in September, October, and November of 2010. Responses
were received from 24 PIs and TACC staff members resolved any user issues or referred them to
the appropriate site for resolution. TACC staff continued to facilitate special user requests,
including resource usage outside normal queue limits, high priority in order to meet deadlines,
and special allocation requests to prevent user research projects from coming to a halt.
5.4.2
Helpdesk
During this quarter, TG RPs provided local helpdesk first-tier support that integrates with the
TeraGrid Operations Center. This support works to provide rapid response email and phone
responses for questions and trouble reports from the user community. Helpdesk staff direct users’
queries to Consulting or Advanced user support in cases where second-tier or third-tier expertise
is required.
5.5 Advanced User Support
Advanced User Support (AUS) staff are located at the RP sites and are coordinated by the AUS
Area Director. The highest level of long-term user support for a TeraGrid user or user group is
provided by the AUS staff. The overall advanced support efforts are categorized by three subefforts:
Advanced Support for TeraGrid Applications (ASTA), Advanced Support for Projects
(ASP), and Advanced Support for EOT (ASEOT).
Operations of the AUS area is coordinated by the AUS Area Director jointly with the AUS Point
of Contacts (POC) who are in most cases the managers or group leaders of the scientific
computing applications groups at each of the RP sites. All the management and coordination
issues such as analyzing TRAC ASTA review reports, contacting PIs for further understanding of
ASTA plans, matching of appropriate AUS staff to ASTAs, discussing/initiating new ASPs,
matching of AUS staff to ASPs, discussing ASEOT topics, preparing program plan and annual
reports, etc., are handled by this group. They hold biweekly teleconferences for the management
and coordination issues and continue discussions via email as needed.
On alternate bi-weeks a technical tele/web-conference is hosted using ReadyTalk for all the AUS
technical staff as well as the AUS POCs. At this technical tele/web-conference 1-2 technical
41