1 Scientific Cluster Support Program Steering Committee August 25, 2003 SCS Project Team

2 Current Situation Existing SCS Program –10 clusters in project, 4 year duration –SCS project funded by overhead –Clusters adhere to standard configuration –Only cost to scientific divisions is initial purchase UNIX Group supports some clusters outside program –Yucca Mountain Project cluster 1 – 2002 –Yucca Mountain Project cluster 2 – April 2003 –Berkeley Center for Structural Biology – May 2003 –TB Structural Genomics – August 2003 Interest rapidly growing –32 node cluster – Phillip Geissler Material Sciences and UCB Chemistry Dept. –10 node test cluster – Steve Louie/Jeff Neaton Molecular Foundry test cluster –Etc.

3 Success Leads to Challenge Creating a viable business model Issues to consider: –Drive down cost of cluster support –Make affordable to scientists –…..

4 Driving Down Costs Lab-Wide Current cost breakdown for overhead money –Staff – 75% of budget –Maintenance –Facilities Staff cost only place to drive down costs –Cheaper staff – students, lower level CSEs –Fewer staff Standardize for economies of scale –Issue: computer room space Lower quality “Fewer larger” rather than “many smaller” ….

5 Making Affordable to Individual Scientist What is affordable? –May drive provision of >1 service level Options: 1.Recharge – scientist pays entire support cost 2.IMAP model – overhead funds infrastructure, scientists pay incremental 3.Frame shop model – overhead funds infrastructure, scientists provide effort (science division postdoc supports) 4.….

6 Issues Complicating Costs and Affordability Computer room space Security ….