Linux clusters are playing an increasingly important computational science role in research across Lab divisions. For many projects, a cluster assembled from off-the-shelf hardware and open-source software is a cost-effective way to obtain a high-performance system. But cutting through the hype and making sense of all the competing systems can be a real challenge. Fortunately, expertise is at hand.

The ITSD Scientific Cluster Support (SCS) group offers pre-purchase consulting, system setup and configuration, ongoing systems administration, and cyber security for Linux clusters. The group has expertise in configuring and managing these systems, and has used custom-built tools to deploy clusters for a variety of scientific projects.

If you are interested in setting up a Linux cluster, contact SCS Project Manager Gary Jung at x4894. The SCS group also works with the Computing Sciences Subcontracts Group to obtain the best price on hardware and software. Contact Gary Mack at x4441 for cluster procurements.

The Scientific Cluster Support Web site provides more information.