Big Compute  – Compute-at-scale

 

Alpha Innovate can help you set up computing at scale; we use our cloud expertise to understand your needs and split the workload to give you solutions that handle computing at scale. We harness the ability to spin-up a huge number of resources quickly to solve difficult computing problems quickly and with elasticity.This method is often referred to as Big Compute. The term Big Compute describes large-scale workloads that equire a large number of cores.

Scenarios that may require big compute architecture styles include image rendering, fluid dynamics, financial risk modelling, oil exploration, drug design and engineering stress analysis.

Some typical characteristics of big compute applications include:

  • The workload can be split into tasks, which can be run across many cores
    simultaneously.
  • Each task is finite. It receives input, processes it, and produces output. The
    application runs for a certain amount of time (minutes-days). A typical provision
    pattern for this is to provide a large number of cores in a burst, and then spin
    down to zero once the application is complete.
  • The application does not need to stay up 24/7, but the system should be able to
    handle node failures or application crashes.
  • In some applications, tasks can run in parallel. In others, tasks are tightly
    coupled, meaning they can interact or exchange intermediate results.

When Big Compute Architecture is Used

  • Intensive Operations such as simulation and number crunching 
  • Simulations that require too much memory for one computer and needs to be split across multiple computers 
  • Long-running computations that would take too long to complete on a single computer
  • Smaller computations that need to run 100s or 1000s of times

Benefits of Big Compute Architecture

  • High Performance
  • It can harness thousands of computer cores to solve large problems faster
  • Access to high-performance hardware with dedicated high-speed networks
  • Ability to provision VM’s as needed and then tear them down when done.

 

If you are looking for a cloud computer that can handle all your computing needs, contact Alpha Innovate for expert advice and service.