HPC Baseline Configuration

Introduction

HPCBIOS is an effort to setup a common, well-documented and reproducible environment, spanning across multiple HPC systems & sites, in a user-friendly way.

HPC Baseline Configuration (BC) is an effort to define a common set of capabilities and functions, so that users can work more productively and collaboratively when using the HPC resources at multiple computing sites within the HPCBIOS compatibility context. This is accomplished by defining and developing a common set of capabilities and functions so that users can focus energy on their research effort, as opposed to wrestling with site-specific policies and procedures.

It is modeled after a similar effort taking place among 6 HPC sites in the US and it is, in effect, an extension upon it (notably, its Compliance Matrix):

HPC-BC.

This effort keeps marching on helping users work more productively, by updating existing policies to accommodate emerging needs, integrating new capabilities that must be consistent across the HPC enterprise or, just providing a sounding board for users experiencing difficulties with an HPC environment.

  • The keywords MUST, MUST NOT, REQUIRED, SHALL, SHALL NOT, SHOULD, SHOULD NOT, RECOMMENDED, MAY, and OPTIONAL are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119.

About the Baseline Configuration

There is a growing community of HPCBIOS users who need to work on data and computation-intensive problems, spread across multiple computing sites and services. Recent discussions show that over half of users eventually need accounts at more than one site.

The main goal of the HPC Baseline Configuration activity is to define and establish a common set of capabilities and functions so that users can compute productively and collaboratively, when using HPC resources at multiple computing sites.

Compliance Matrix

Use notation y n a d i w respectively standing for: yes, no, agree, disagree, information notice, warning notice.

Policy tag # Policy Topics C G K
[HPCBIOS_05-01] Multiple-Version Software y y  
[HPCBIOS_05-05] Queue Names a a  
[HPCBIOS_05-06] Login Shells y y y
[HPCBIOS_06-01] Open Source Math Libraries y y  
[HPCBIOS_06-04] Editors and Scripting Tools y y y
[HPCBIOS_06-05] Baseline Set of Debuggers y y  
[HPCBIOS_06-15] Sample Code Repository a a  
[HPCBIOS_06-17] Multiple-Version Software Access via Modules y y  
[HPCBIOS_06-19] Open Source Utilities y y y
[HPCBIOS_07-02] Open Source Performance and Profiling Tools y y  
[HPCBIOS_07-03] Common Set of Open Source Compilers y y a
[HPCBIOS_10-01] New/Returning User Welcome Letter a a a
[HPCBIOS_10-02] Common Open Source High Productivity Languages y y a
[HPCBIOS_2012-80] Common Set of DFT codes a a  
[HPCBIOS_2012-90] Software Tools and Development Environment y y  
[HPCBIOS_2012-91] Modules Namespace for HPC sites y y  
[HPCBIOS_2012-92] EasyBuild HPC Software Development Environment y y  
[HPCBIOS_2012-93] Life Sciences Productivity Environment y y  
[HPCBIOS_2012-94] Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Productivity Environment y y  
[HPCBIOS_2012-95] Molecular Dynamics Productivity Environment a a  
[HPCBIOS_2012-96] Common Set of Commercial Compilers a y  
[HPCBIOS_2012-97] Climate Science Productivity Environment a a  
[HPCBIOS_2012-98] Common Set of Environment Variables a a  
[HPCBIOS_2012-99] GPU Productivity Environment n a n
[HPCBIOS_2013-01] Common Dependencies for Life Science Applications a a a
[HPCBIOS_2015-01] Biocompressors, for NGS data and bioinformatics a a a

Note

Non-Compliance Disclaimer

Site compliance assures that the minimum guidelines of the policy have been met by a site. Sites may, at their discretion, exceed the minimum guidelines and still remain in compliance. Periodic checks may need to be performed to ensure compliance is maintained.

Note that, there can be valid reasons for not being compliant with a policy. For example, non-compliance may be acceptable especially if it implies removal of an existing capability or function, from a given system; also, for generic operational reasons or, if the HPC system affected is scheduled for decommissioning in the near future.

Non-compliance is not an issue, as long as the documentation above is consistent and the users are informed about status, in a prompt way.

This document was last rebuilt on: 21 June 2017.