Speaker
Mr
Adam Kocoloski
(MIT)
Description
Modern Macintosh computers feature Xgrid, a distributed computing architecture built
directly into Apple's OS X operating system. While the approach is radically
different from those generally expected by the Unix based Grid infrastructures (Open
Science Grid, TeraGrid, EGEE), opportunistic computing on Xgrid is nonetheless a
tempting and novel way to assemble a computing cluster with a minimum of additional
configuration. In fact, it requires only the default operating system and
authentication to a central controller from each node. OS X also implements
arbitrarily extensible metadata, allowing an instantly updated file catalog to be
stored as part of the filesystem itself.
The low barrier to entry allows an Xgrid cluster to grow quickly and organically.
This paper and presentation will detail the steps that can be taken to make such a
cluster a viable resource for HENP research computing. We will further show how to
provide to users a unified job submission framework by integrating Xgrid through the
STAR Unified Meta-Scheduler (SUMS), making tasks and jobs submission effortlessly at
reach for those users already using the tool for traditional Grid or local cluster
job submission. We will discuss additional steps that can be taken to make an Xgrid
cluster a full partner in grid computing initiatives, focusing on Open Science Grid
integration. MIT's Xgrid system currently supports the work of multiple research
groups in the Laboratory for Nuclear Science, and has become an important tool for
generating simulations and conducting data analyses at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.
| Submitted on behalf of Collaboration (ex, BaBar, ATLAS) | STAR |
|---|
Primary authors
Mr
Adam Kocoloski
(MIT)
Dr
Jerome LAURET
(BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY)
Mr
Levente HAJDU
(BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY)
Dr
Mike MILLER
(MIT)
