Alessandra CiocioApril 6, CSAC meeting1 Mid-Range Computing Working Group Report CSAC and ITSD are working in partnership to determine the value of a Lab-wide Scientific Computing Resource for the future of LBNL scientific research Background Why this effort? The Working Group The Program: Actions and Schedule Defining the Future of Scientific Computing Resources at Berkeley Lab

Alessandra CiocioApril 6, CSAC meeting2 Background Although scientists today have access to desktop workstations more powerful than high-performance computers of 25 years ago, many research areas can benefit from increased computational power. At Berkeley Lab this has typically meant scaling up to high- performance computing systems, such as the use of NERSC resources. However, there is still a very wide gap in terms of computing power and architectures between desktop workstations and high-performance computers. One approach is to bridge this gap with a resource that is "mid-range” between workstations and high-performance computers like those operated by NERSC. The availability of resources such as cluster computers opens up a very attractive and cost-effective "mid-range computing” alternative. Berkeley Lab currently lacks such an institutional mid-range computing capability and many LBNL researchers have shown an increasing interest in the potentiality of such a resource.

Alessandra CiocioApril 6, CSAC meeting3 Why this effort? CSAC and ITSD will be conducting a Lab-wide program: To raise awareness of mid-range computing among LBNL scientists To understand whether the lack of such an institutional resource is putting LBNL researchers at a disadvantage in an area that has been identified as a core competency of the Laboratory To determine the interest and needs of LBNL scientists in the area of mid-range computing To identify what additional investments (if any) the Laboratory should make in mid-range computing capabilities. What started as a vision and has been under discussion for long time is now a real effort with a well defined program and milestones

Alessandra CiocioApril 6, CSAC meeting4 The Working Group CSAC Paul AdamsPBS Ali BelkacemCSD Alessandra CiocioPhysics Ken DowningLSD Doug OlsonNSD John StaplesAFRD Shaheen TonseEETD Michel Van HoveMSD Tammy WelcomeNERSC ITSD Jon Bashor Gary Jung Jim Leighton Yeen Mankin Sandy Merola Erik Richman

Alessandra CiocioApril 6, CSAC meeting5 The Program Lecture Series Will sponsor a lecture series to provide information about the contribution of scientific computing to research. Featured talks by scientists describing the role of computational science in their research accompanied by shorter introductory presentations Publicity campaign through Currents, Posters, Computing News (Jon Bashor with Yeen Mankin) Web-based survey To determine the interest and needs of LBNL scientists in the area of MRC. Conduct additional one on one interviews with key users Investigate MRC capability of other Labs Workshop A small group of key users and technical experts will participate in a one day retreat to analyze the survey results and to generate recommendation for a system architecture

Alessandra CiocioApril 6, CSAC meeting6 Lectures Series Main talks: To emphasize the use of large-scale computing in furthering scientific computations The Future of Scientific Computing Scientific Computing at Berkeley Lab Featured speakers to be announced soon. Suggested opening topics: ITSD CSAC Berkeley Lab's New Cluster Requirements Assessment/Survey Different Architectures MRC at other national labs Ali to determine speakers and work out topics for the featured speakers to emphasize

Alessandra CiocioApril 6, CSAC meeting7 WEB-based survey Erik Richman with Paul Adams and Shaheen Tonse produced a WEB-based questionnaire URL’s: The main entry page The survey The tab-delimited data file All CSAC members are invited to test the questionnaire and give feedback Although the results cannot be predicted, possible outcomes include: 1) Providing access to the Lab's newly installed 160-processor cluster 2) Buying access to computing resources from NERSC 3) Procuring an additional computing resource 4) Outsourcing additional computing resources 5) Making no change at this time

Alessandra CiocioApril 6, CSAC meeting8 Schedule April Plan for Scientific Computing Lecture Series Develop rough cost estimate for two architectures Complete survey of MRC at other Labs May Present final versions of mission statement, white paper, web survey, and schedule Material for CSAC members to present to Division Directors June Launch Publicity Campaign Presentation at Division Directors retreat to reserve overhead funding July/Aug Lecture series starts with one or two talks Sept/Oct Lecture series and with peak publicity Web survey release towards the end of lecture series Nov/Dec Analyze survey results and develop path forward (one-day retreat) January Present at CSAC the results and finalize recommendation