hpc-buy-in.shtml

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title: HPC Clsuter Buy In Options
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<p>The <a href="/">Center for High 
Throughput Computing (CHTC)</a> now offers a buy-in 
option for the campus-shared <a href="{{ '/HPCuseguide' | relative_url}}">high
performance computing (HPC) Cluster</a>, 
which includes a large, freely available portion initially funded with 
support from the <a href="http://aci.wisc.edu/">Advanced Computing Initiative (ACI)</a>.</p>

<p><b>Please contact <a href="mailto:chtc@cs.wisc.edu">chtc@cs.wisc.edu</a>, 
if you would like to discuss 
purchase options (especially if for a significant number of servers), 
perhaps including hardware to be added to CHTC's HTC System.</b></p>

<p>Purchases of a chassis of four homogeneous servers (each server with 128 
GB RAM and 20 cores of 2.5 GHz) costs ~$23,000 and includes a minimum of 3 years 
of support with priority access on a dedicated queue partition with many other support and hardware 
hosting benefits, including:</p>

<ul>
<li>continued access to the freely-available cluster partitions</li>
<li>fast Infiniband networking (56 Gbit/s) and the SLURM queueing system</li>
<li>use of the cluster's shared Gluster file system with a starting value 
of 100 GB of storage space, per user, and options for space increases</li>
<li>server hosting: server room space, rack costs, power and cooling costs</li>
<li>cluster administration and human support through the CHTC (Systems 
Administrators and Research Computing Facilitators)</li>
<li>free access to commonly-used software covered by campus licenses and the CHTC</li>
<li>multi-group, license-sharing options for research-specific software</li>
<li>resource sharing options for temporary, on-demand access to more cores</li>
<li>automatic hardware upgrades when deemed necessary for the cluster*</li>
</ul>

<p>All chassis purchases are considered capitol equipment. To learn more 
about the buy-in option, please contact the CHTC (chtc@cs.wisc.edu) or ACI 
(ContactACI@lists.wisc.edu). Typically, prior use of the HPC Cluster 
and a consultation with CHTC staff are required prior to pursuing a purchase.</p>

<p>*Changes of hardware will always be for equivalent or better hardware 
specifications with respect to RAM, processor speed, etc. "Owners" will 
have priority on at least the number of cores they initially purchased.</p>