Main Aspects of Windows HPC Server - Research Paper Example

Windows HPC Server 2008 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 1 OVERVIEW OF WINDOWS HPC SERVER 2 HOW IT WORKS 3 ADVANTAGES 5 Improved Productivity 5 Scalable Performance 5 Rapidly Deploy 6 Monitoring 6 High Performance Service Oriented Applications (SOA) 7 Networking and High-speed Interconnects 7 DISADVANTAGES 7 HOW IS IT USED TODAY 8 CONCLUSION 8 References 9 INTRODUCTION Windows HPC Server offers the performance, control and higher level of HPC (high performance computing) as compared to the normal computing. Additionally, the operation interface and central management facilitates to make simpler the deployment capabilities for both big as well as small computing teams and offer a straightforward and efficient management practice to enhance team management efficiency (Microsoft, 2008) and (Microsoft Corporation., 2008). This paper discusses the main aspects of Windows HPC Server. This paper will outline the windows HPC Server’s basic working structure, its advantages and disadvantages, its current uses and new features of this server technology. OVERVIEW OF WINDOWS HPC SERVER Microsoft Windows HPC Server (HPCS) is a modern technology based generation of HPC (extreme performance computing) that offers performance, enterprise-level services and extendibility for an extremely prolific HPC framework. Additionally, the HPCS offers a comprehensive and incorporated cluster arrangement encompassing the task or job scheduler, operating system, cluster management, message passing interface v2 (MPI2) support and scrutinizing elements. Moreover, the latest developed Windows Server® 2008 64-bit, HPCS ranges to thousands of CPU processing cores and comprises a management console that facilitates practically maintenance and checking system strength and constancy. In this scenario, the job scheduling agility and interoperability facilitates incorporation in Windows-based HPC platforms maintains service-oriented architecture (SOA) or group workloads. Furthermore, Windows HPC Server 2008 offers a lot of facilities such as improved efficiency, simplicity of use and scalable performance that is why it is the most effective solution for Windows platforms (Microsoft, 2008) and (Microsoft Corporation., 2008). HOW IT WORKS This section presents an overview of the working and functioning method of Windows HPC Server. This section will discuss that how Windows HPC Server works? Basically, Windows HPC Server is designed on a group of servers that comprises a single head node and one or more compute nodes as stated in the below given Figure 1. In this scenario, the main head node that currently offers switching from fail component to backup component using Windows Server 2008 Enterprise accessibility services, SQL Server powers and clustering is responsible for managing all the rights to access the cluster resources as well as it is the particular position of operation, organization and job development in support of the compute cluster. Moreover, Windows HPC Server offers a lot of tools to manage accessible Active Directory, directory service-based arrangement for security, complete functions and handle account. One major example of these tools is System Center Operations Manager (Microsoft, 2008) and (Hand, 2010). Figure 1- Windows HPC Server Working Arrangement Image Source, (Microsoft, 2008) The installation process of Windows HPC Server encompasses mounting the OS on the main head node, combining it to an Active Directory domain, and afterward applying the HPC Pack 2008. In this scenario, there is a page named as “To Do List” which outlines the steps needed to finish the setting of our compute cluster. These steps encompass describing the network designing standard management, physical layout and incorporating compute nodes to the cluster. Moreover, Windows HPC Server offers Node model, which is a simple method to describe the preferred arrangement of the compute nodes, as well as a simple interface that helps improve the fundamental Windows Deployment Services of Windows Server 2008. Furthermore, the Windows HPC Server 2008 management frame encompasses analytical tests that help system administrators identify associated issues, job status and node loading across the network cluster (Microsoft, 2008) and (Hand, 2010). ADVANTAGES This section outlines the advantages of Windows HPC Server: Improved Productivity Windows HPC Server allows the system administrators to use more services, in less time, with minimum effort, with increasing users’ accessible expertise and incorporated tools previously used at our corporation or business arrangement. Thus, system administrators and developers are competent to save time by using a simple development and productivity framework across the practical cluster and workstation (Microsoft Corporation., 2008). Scalable Performance Windows HPC Server is designed on standard Windows Server 2008 x64-bit system structure and technology arrangement. In this scenario, the Windows HPC Server ranges to thousands of CPU processing cores and encompasses a lot of organization tools that facilitate the users to practically supervise system condition and uphold system constancy. Moreover, the integration of Microsoft Windows SQL Server into Windows Server 2008 Enterprise offers the facility of switching from failed component to backing component potentials in the results of system crash (Microsoft Corporation., 2008). Rapidly Deploy Windows HPC Server encompasses a lot of tools, wizards, built-in management consoles, and a “To Do List” to make simple the accessibility of system and compute nodes thus improving Windows Server 2008 Deployment Services to help system administrators produce, modify, and deploy systems descriptions all-through a cluster (Microsoft Corporation., 2008). Monitoring Monitoring system health and reporting is also a most important feature of this system. Since Windows HPC Server 2008 is built on 64-bit technology, thus it encompasses scalable management systems and tools that are built with the latest System Center interface (Microsoft Corporation., 2008). High Performance Service Oriented Applications (SOA) Microsoft HPC Pack encompasses a flexible task list or scheduler that incorporates a graphical user interface (GUI), command-line and application programming interface for proposing tasks to the cluster. Moreover, it can be implemented jointly with associate job schedulers for additional sophisticated strategies or diverse situations (Microsoft Corporation., 2008). Networking and High-speed Interconnects Windows HPC Server considerably minimizes the complexity of implementing numerous networks all through a cluster by offering innovative network diagnostics tools, a modernized networking wizard and an easy way of managing network driver (Microsoft Corporation., 2008). DISADVANTAGES There are lots of advantages of Windows HPC Server however there are also some issues attached with the implementation of this new technology. The biggest issue that I have found up till now is the lack of market and technological support for the implementation and maintenance of this new server platform. This issue is common in most of the nations that is a big aspect that hinders behind the extensive marketplace implementation of Windows HPC Server. HOW IS IT USED TODAY Windows HPC Server’s High Performance Computing offers the engineers, analysts and scientists with the computation services and resources which are necessary to make effective decisions, increase product modernism, accelerate research and progress, and speed up time to marketplace. In this scenario, there are lots of market implementations and uses of the Windows HPC Server such as animated clips, deciphering genomes, reforming crash test imitations, evaluating economic risks, forming universal climate solutions and other extremely difficult troubles (Microsoft2, 2010). CONCLUSION Microsoft Windows HPC Server (HPCS) is a modern technology based generation of HPC (extreme performance computing) that offers performance, enterprise-level services and extendibility for an extremely prolific HPC framework. This paper has discussed various aspects of Windows HPC Server including the overall technology overview, detailed advantages and disadvantages and some new technological uses of the Windows HPC Server. References Hand, R. (2010, August 04). Inside Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 Beta 2. Retrieved March 08, 2011, from insideHPC.com: http://insidehpc.com/2010/04/08/inside-windows-hpc-server-beta-2/ Microsoft Corporation. (2008). INTRODUCING WINDOWS® HPC SERVER 2008. Retrieved March 09, 2011, from http://www.clustervision.com/Windows_HPC_Server_2008_Overview_Datasheet.pdf Microsoft. (2008, June). Windows HPC Server 2008: Technical Overview of Windows HPC Server 2008. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from Microsoft.com: http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:K_Vylnp4dMAJ:download.microsoft.com/download/2/d/4/2d471958-1971-4183-933c-0ed1888a9093/Windows%2520HPC%2520Server%25202008%2520Technical%2520Overview.doc+Windows%C2%AE+HPC+Server+2008+brings+the+power,+performanc Microsoft2. (2010). New to HPC? Retrieved March 08, 2011, from http://www.microsoft.com/hpc/en/us/product/cluster-computing.aspx Read More