EPCC Tier 2 HPC Service
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre
Abstract
EPCC is the supercomputer centre at the University of Edinburgh. Throughout our 26-year history, EPCC has significant experience of running supercomputer services for both academic and industrial researchers. We currently run the UK's national supercomputer, ARCHER, that is used for modelling new materials, designing more efficient engines and investigating climate change.
This proposal is to enhance an existing supercomputer with additional compute nodes, and to add a significant amount of next generation accelerators. The design of supercomputers is going through a period of change and accelerators are becoming increasingly important to provide faster supercomputers while using less electricity. This enhanced system will be useful for researchers across the UK to prepare their computer programmes to make effective use of future national supercomputer systems after ARCHER.
As computers become more powerful, they generate ever-increasing amounts of data. Managing and analysing this data is very important to help researchers make new scientific discoveries. This proposal also includes increasing the size of the large data storage facility at EPCC. This will allow researchers to store their data, share it with other people, move it between different supercomputers, and make new discoveries that will improve society and people's lives.
There will be a number of these medium-size supercomputers funded alongside the existing national supercomputer, ARCHER. These will have different features and so will be useful for different research problems. It is important that these supercomputers work together to provide maximum benefits for everyone. We will work with all the other successful proposals to provide a coherent service across all the different supercomputers. Most of the time on our supercomputer will be freely available for researchers from throughout the UK. We will work together with the other successful proposals to ensure that researchers can get access to the most appropriate system/ In addition, we have developed a we.-based portal that makes it easier for users to access the different systems. As part of our proposal, we will work with all the other successful proposals so that they can use our web-based portal completely free of cost.
This proposal is to enhance an existing supercomputer with additional compute nodes, and to add a significant amount of next generation accelerators. The design of supercomputers is going through a period of change and accelerators are becoming increasingly important to provide faster supercomputers while using less electricity. This enhanced system will be useful for researchers across the UK to prepare their computer programmes to make effective use of future national supercomputer systems after ARCHER.
As computers become more powerful, they generate ever-increasing amounts of data. Managing and analysing this data is very important to help researchers make new scientific discoveries. This proposal also includes increasing the size of the large data storage facility at EPCC. This will allow researchers to store their data, share it with other people, move it between different supercomputers, and make new discoveries that will improve society and people's lives.
There will be a number of these medium-size supercomputers funded alongside the existing national supercomputer, ARCHER. These will have different features and so will be useful for different research problems. It is important that these supercomputers work together to provide maximum benefits for everyone. We will work with all the other successful proposals to provide a coherent service across all the different supercomputers. Most of the time on our supercomputer will be freely available for researchers from throughout the UK. We will work together with the other successful proposals to ensure that researchers can get access to the most appropriate system/ In addition, we have developed a we.-based portal that makes it easier for users to access the different systems. As part of our proposal, we will work with all the other successful proposals so that they can use our web-based portal completely free of cost.
Planned Impact
The EPCC National Tier 2 Integration and HPC Accelerator Service will deliver strong scientific and industrial impact now and in the future in three specific areas:
1. Through support via SAFE for the creation of a national network of Tier 2 centres;
2. By preparing key codes from the UK scientific software base for use on Intel Xeon Phi accelerators on the road to the Exascale by the mid-2020s; and
3. Delivering an enhanced EPCC industry service to companies around the UK, Europe and beyond.
SAFE
EPCC has run national services for EPSRC since the Cray T3D in 1994. Our SAFE software has developed over the past 20 years from simple scripts to the comprehensive web-based system we use today. Although most UK users know SAFE from the point of view of account and resource management, there is also significant value in its helpdesk and reporting functionality.
By deploying SAFE across the Tier 2 network we hope to amplify the value of this funding, demonstrating the impact a joined-up Tier 2 service will have on EPSRC's scientific community and the wider UK scientific and industrial communities.
SCIENCE
Although Exascale computers are 6-8 years away, the technologies that are likely to be used in them are becoming clearer. There will be an increase in the use of accelerators, a greater focus on heterogeneity, more complex memory hierarchies, and new models of I/O. The HPC Accelerator Service that will be provided by this funding will allow EPCC to work with the EPSRC scientific community to prepare their scientific software codes and simulation techniques for the very high core counts and complex memory hierarchies expected to dominate in the future. By starting this work now, the impact of future national services, such as ARCHER 2, will be maximised.
Additionally, the funding will support the creation of a Tier 2 RDF service. Here we will work with the other Tier 2 centres and their user base to explore the value of different high level data services such that the future impact of investment in EPSRC's RDF can be maximised.
INDUSTRY
Since 1990 when EPCC was created, we have had a strong focus on working with industry. Not only is such work a key part of our business model, it is also a key part of our mission - "to accelerate the effective uptake of HPC and novel computing by industry, academia and commerce". Our value proposition delivers competitive advantage in the form of lower costs, improved products and services, and accelerated time to market for our industrial customers in segments such as engineering, energy, oil and gas, renewables, manufacturing and materials, life sciences, aerospace and automotive, and financial services.
Our successful and sustainable business model has been instrumental in allowing us to invest in HPC resources for industry. In 2012, EPCC, at its own expense, bought the INDY system that it has used, along with ARCHER, to deliver cycle-sales to industry over the past 4 years. In April 2016, this system was replaced by INDY 2, a state of the art SGI ICE XA system dedicated to industrial use. It is this system we intend to expand with this funding, further encouraging industrial collaboration and our long-term sustainability.
1. Through support via SAFE for the creation of a national network of Tier 2 centres;
2. By preparing key codes from the UK scientific software base for use on Intel Xeon Phi accelerators on the road to the Exascale by the mid-2020s; and
3. Delivering an enhanced EPCC industry service to companies around the UK, Europe and beyond.
SAFE
EPCC has run national services for EPSRC since the Cray T3D in 1994. Our SAFE software has developed over the past 20 years from simple scripts to the comprehensive web-based system we use today. Although most UK users know SAFE from the point of view of account and resource management, there is also significant value in its helpdesk and reporting functionality.
By deploying SAFE across the Tier 2 network we hope to amplify the value of this funding, demonstrating the impact a joined-up Tier 2 service will have on EPSRC's scientific community and the wider UK scientific and industrial communities.
SCIENCE
Although Exascale computers are 6-8 years away, the technologies that are likely to be used in them are becoming clearer. There will be an increase in the use of accelerators, a greater focus on heterogeneity, more complex memory hierarchies, and new models of I/O. The HPC Accelerator Service that will be provided by this funding will allow EPCC to work with the EPSRC scientific community to prepare their scientific software codes and simulation techniques for the very high core counts and complex memory hierarchies expected to dominate in the future. By starting this work now, the impact of future national services, such as ARCHER 2, will be maximised.
Additionally, the funding will support the creation of a Tier 2 RDF service. Here we will work with the other Tier 2 centres and their user base to explore the value of different high level data services such that the future impact of investment in EPSRC's RDF can be maximised.
INDUSTRY
Since 1990 when EPCC was created, we have had a strong focus on working with industry. Not only is such work a key part of our business model, it is also a key part of our mission - "to accelerate the effective uptake of HPC and novel computing by industry, academia and commerce". Our value proposition delivers competitive advantage in the form of lower costs, improved products and services, and accelerated time to market for our industrial customers in segments such as engineering, energy, oil and gas, renewables, manufacturing and materials, life sciences, aerospace and automotive, and financial services.
Our successful and sustainable business model has been instrumental in allowing us to invest in HPC resources for industry. In 2012, EPCC, at its own expense, bought the INDY system that it has used, along with ARCHER, to deliver cycle-sales to industry over the past 4 years. In April 2016, this system was replaced by INDY 2, a state of the art SGI ICE XA system dedicated to industrial use. It is this system we intend to expand with this funding, further encouraging industrial collaboration and our long-term sustainability.
Organisations
Publications
Zhang X
(2018)
3-D Monte Carlo surface wave tomography
in Geophysical Journal International
Aiello CD
(2022)
A Chirality-Based Quantum Leap.
in ACS nano
Khan AZ
(2022)
A comparative study on the stability of the furfural molecule on the low index Ni, Pd and Pt surfaces.
in Royal Society open science
Higgins R
(2021)
A computational fluid dynamic acoustic investigation of a tiltwing eVTOL concept aircraft
in Aerospace Science and Technology
Nugent J
(2019)
A General Route to Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes through Photoredox Catalysis
in ACS Catalysis
Jones B
(2023)
A geometric sensitivity study for the aerodynamics of a strut-braced airframe
in Aerospace Science and Technology
Chutia A
(2022)
A study on the stability of gold copper bimetallic clusters on the CeO2(110) surface
in Catalysis Communications
Halevas E
(2022)
A unique ternary Ce(III)-quercetin-phenanthroline assembly with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
in Journal of inorganic biochemistry
Kurz K
(2022)
A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed? Analysis of the Willingness to Share Self-Produced Electricity During a Long-lasting Power Outage.
in Schmalenbachs Zeitschrift fur betriebswirtschaftliche Forschung = Schmalenbach journal of business research
Neale S
(2020)
Accurate computed spin-state energetics for Co( iii ) complexes: implications for modelling homogeneous catalysis
in Dalton Transactions
Smith D
(2020)
Acoustic Analysis of Counter-Rotating Open Rotors with a Locked Blade Row
in AIAA Journal
Da Browski M
(2022)
All-optical control of spin in a 2D van der Waals magnet.
in Nature communications
Falin A
(2023)
Anomalous isotope effect on mechanical properties of single atomic layer Boron Nitride
in Nature Communications
Fitzgibbon T
(2020)
Assessment of current rotor design comparison practices based on high-fidelity CFD methods
in The Aeronautical Journal
Young T
(2020)
autodE: Automated Calculation of Reaction Energy Profiles- Application to Organic and Organometallic Reactions
in Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Young T
(2020)
autodE: Automated Calculation of Reaction Energy Profiles- Application to Organic and Organometallic Reactions
in Angewandte Chemie
Spracklen P
(2023)
Automated streamliner portfolios for constraint satisfaction problems
in Artificial Intelligence
Taddei M
(2019)
Band gap modulation in zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks by defect engineering
in Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Sterling A
(2022)
Beyond strain release: Delocalisation-enabled organic reactivity
Sterling A
(2023)
Beyond strain release: Delocalization-enabled organic reactivity
Plekhanov E
(2021)
Calculating dynamical mean-field theory forces in ab initio ultrasoft pseudopotential formalism
in Physical Review B
Silveri F
(2022)
Catalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide on the (001), (011), and (111) Surfaces of TiC and ZrC: A Computational Study.
in The journal of physical chemistry. C, Nanomaterials and interfaces
Clark D
(2020)
Chaos and information in two-dimensional turbulence
in Physical Review Fluids
Ho R
(2019)
Chaotic behavior of Eulerian magnetohydrodynamic turbulence
in Physics of Plasmas
Clark D
(2021)
Chaotic measure of the transition between two- and three-dimensional turbulence
in Physical Review Fluids
Stewart A
(2021)
Chemical functionality at the liquid surface of pure unsaturated fatty acids
in Environmental Science: Atmospheres
Dabbech A
(2021)
Cygnus A jointly calibrated and imaged via non-convex optimization from VLA data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Shire T
(2020)
DEM simulations of polydisperse media: efficient contact detection applied to investigate the quasi-static limit
in Computational Particle Mechanics
Wong MLJ
(2021)
Direct catalytic asymmetric synthesis of a-chiral bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes.
in Nature communications
Warren LR
(2021)
Direct evidence for distinct colour origins in ROY polymorphs.
in Chemical science
Collins C
(2021)
Discovery of a Low Thermal Conductivity Oxide Guided by Probe Structure Prediction and Machine Learning
in Angewandte Chemie
Collins CM
(2021)
Discovery of a Low Thermal Conductivity Oxide Guided by Probe Structure Prediction and Machine Learning.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Townsend-Nicholson A
(2020)
Educating and engaging new communities of practice with high performance computing through the integration of teaching and research
in Interface Focus
Busse A
(2023)
Effect of high skewness and kurtosis on turbulent channel flow over irregular rough walls
in Journal of Turbulence
Aggarwal A
(2019)
Effect of Residual and Transformation Choice on Computational Aspects of Biomechanical Parameter Estimation of Soft Tissues.
in Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)
Strathearn A
(2018)
Efficient non-Markovian quantum dynamics using time-evolving matrix product operators.
in Nature communications
Livesley S
(2021)
Electrophilic Activation of [1.1.1]Propellane for the Synthesis of Nitrogen-Substituted Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes
in Angewandte Chemie
Livesley S
(2022)
Electrophilic Activation of [1.1.1]Propellane for the Synthesis of Nitrogen-Substituted Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Jackson A
(2019)
Evaluating the Arm Ecosystem for High Performance Computing
Yousaf A
(2021)
Exfoliation of Quasi-Two-Dimensional Nanosheets of Metal Diborides
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Lin Z
(2023)
Flow-mediated interaction between a forced-oscillating cylinder and an elastically mounted cylinder in less regular regimes
in Physics of Fluids
Ho R
(2020)
Fluctuations of Lyapunov exponents in homogeneous and isotropic turbulence
in Physical Review Fluids
Cadman J
(2020)
Fragmentation favoured in discs around higher mass stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Description | It has been possible to operate the EPSRC Tier 2 HPC service for the benefit of both academic scientific research and industrial use. In particular, over the past 3 years we have had around 80 industry users annually on the system, either using it in collaborative projects with academic researchers or on a pay-per-use basis. |
Exploitation Route | If appropriate support for users is provided, coupled to a properly skilled business development team, any HPC centre should be able to develop local support for businesses on their HPC service. |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Construction,Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | EPCC's Tier 2 HPC Service - called Cirrus - has provided access to a number of companies over the past five years to help them improve their products and services. Many of these companies have come from the manufacturing and engineering sectors. Cirrus also formed part of the EC-funded Fortissimo Cloud of HPC Resources which provided pay-on-demand access to its resources for companies across Europe. A small company, the Fortissimo Marketplace Ltd has been established with the PI as Managing Director which markets Cirrus and other Fortissimo Cloud systems to companies across Europe. |
First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Construction,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Environment,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Transport |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | IAA Grant to Accelerate the impact of Cirrus uptake across Scottish Manufacturing SMEs via outreach in collaboration with CEED |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | We received an Impact Accelerator Activity award to allow us to promote the Cirrus Tier 2 service to Scottish Manufacturing SMEs. The work was undertaken in collaboration with CEED - an organisation representing Scottish Manufacturing and Engineering companies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |