Platform Computing has expanded its cloud computing capabilities for high performance computing (HPC) with two new offerings. The company released Platform ISF Adaptive Cluster, a product that changes the operating systems and personalities of compute nodes managed by Platform LSF and Platform Symphony. Also released are cloud bursting capabilities permitting Platform HPC customers to redirect peak workloads from internal HPC infrastructure to external cloud resources on a pay-per-use basis. Together, these offerings let HPC users take advantage of cloud computing by utilising both internal private resources and external public cloud offerings.
Platform ISF Adaptive Cluster enables organisations to create an internal cloud for running HPC applications and is integrated with Platform LSF and Platform Symphony. The product dynamically changes the operating system and associated application stack on demand thereby maximising resource usage and service levels based on workload. It does this by automatically provisioning Linux and Windows operating systems from bare metal or initiating the right guest operating system within a virtual machine container on the compute nodes upon application demand.
To ensure application availability and guaranteed performance, many enterprises employ multiple HPC clusters, each assigned to run a specific application that requires either a Linux or Windows environment. Inevitably this results in cluster silos and cluster sprawls with low utilisation and high management costs. Platform ISF Adaptive Cluster consolidates the previous application silos into an internal cloud environment that dynamically provisions Linux and Windows operating systems based on application demand to maximise resource usage and service levels. Utilisation rates of separate server clusters typically ranging between 40-50 per cent can be increased to 80-90 per cent.
The cloud bursting capabilities for the Platform ISF family allows Platform HPC customers to access external cloud resources to offload peak workloads from internal HPC infrastructure on a pay-per-use basis. The solution allows HPC users to use external resources while operating in a managed, private cloud environment as required by enterprise governance and compliance regulations. Platform is working with external cloud service providers to publish a machine image of the Platform HPC management software stack, which includes Platform LSF, Platform Symphony, Platform Cluster Manager and the new Platform MPI, to ensure Platform customers have a single, user-friendly interface for both internal enterprise infrastructure for HPC and the external cloud for overflow.
