mirror of https://github.com/BOINC/boinc.git
94 lines
3.5 KiB
PHP
94 lines
3.5 KiB
PHP
<?php
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require_once("docutil.php");
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page_head("Create a Virtual Campus Supercomputing Center (VCSC)");
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echo "
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Universities and other research institutions can use BOINC to create a
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'Virtual Campus Supercomputing Center' (VCSC).
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A VSCS can provide university researchers with the computational
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power of a very large cluster, for a small fraction of the cost.
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<p>
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A VCSC is a BOINC project whose applications
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are supplied by campus researchers.
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The computing power is supplied by campus PCs -
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computing lab machines,
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desktop and laptops belonging to faculty, staff, and students,
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and home PCs belonging to alumni.
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<p>
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As an example, suppose that a VSCS recruits the participation of 10,000 PCs,
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running an average of 50% of the time.
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In terms of computing power,
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this is roughly equivalent to a 5,000-node cluster,
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for which the initial hardware cost is roughly $5 million,
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with ongoing yearly energy and maintenance costs of at least $1 million.
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The VSCS, in contrast, has hardware costs of about $10K.
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<h2>Creating a VCSC</h2>
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<p>
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A VCSC is typically created by a campus unit
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involved in computing and information technology,
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by a research unit, or as a collaboration between such units.
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It involves the following functions,
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which typically would be carried out by different staff:
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<img align=right src=vcsc.png>
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<ul>
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<li> <b>Application identification and porting</b>:
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This involves canvassing campus researchers,
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identifying those with computationally-intensive problems
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that map well to volunteer computing.
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The applications used by those researchers are then ported to BOINC,
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and mechanisms set up for the researchers to submit jobs and get results.
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<li> <b>Server setup and maintenance</b>.
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This involves setting up BOINC software,
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and other required open-source software, on a Linux computer.
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A low-end server (~$10K) is typically sufficient
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even for large numbers (tens of thousands) of participating nodes.
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<li> <b>Resource recruitment and client deployment</b>.
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This involves several activities:
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working with the campus IT department,
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and with other units that manage campus desktops and PC labs,
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to install BOINC on as many PCs as possible;
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working with dormitory IT management to encourage
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its deployment on student PCs;
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creating PR events, such as competitions between
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student groups to contribute the most computing power;
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and working with alumni organizations to publicize the project
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and encourage the participation of alumni home PCs.
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This function also includes publicity,
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via mass media, campus media, and Internet channels such
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as periodic emails to volunteer participants.
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</ul>
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<br clear=all>
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<h2>Benefits of a VCSC</h2>
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The benefits of creating a VCSC include
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<ul>
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<li> It creates a new pool of computing power,
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available at little or no cost to campus researchers.
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This resource enables previously infeasible research,
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and may attract prospective faculty.
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<li> It creates a path by which computational scientists
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can use distributed computing;
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many of these scientists lack the expertise and resources
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to do it themselves.
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<li> It creates a new outlet for 'school spirit'
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which directly contributes to the primary mission of the university.
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<li> It generates PR for university research,
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and for the university itself.
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</ul>
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<h2>Getting started</h2>
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<p>
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Technical information about porting applications
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and setting up a BOINC server is <a href=create_project.php>here</a>.
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Budget at least a few person-months for getting a working system running.
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<p>
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For more information about setting up a VCSC,
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please <a href=contact.php>contact us</a>.
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";
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page_tail();
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?>
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