This project will develop the architecture and components to automate configuration and management of a large, mixed-use server cluster. The cornerstone of the architecture is a cluster site manager called Cluster on Demand (COD) that adds a fundamental new capability to manage a cluster as a multi-purpose modular resource hosting different environments in isolated partitions. COD will support secure isolation of multiple user communities, pushbutton control over software environments subject to appropriate authorization controls, and dynamic policy-based resource provisioning. The COD design leverages widely used open-source components to support diverse hardware platforms and software configurations, and to evolve rapidly with new technology. The project will develop a COD software release integrated with other components of the NMI software suite, and evaluate it through test deployments at Duke University and MCNC, with grid connections to the NC BioGrid.
Intellectual Merit and Broader Impact - The project will facilitate the deployment of clusters to advance science and education, reduce costs and improve return on investments in cluster infrastructure, and remove key barriers to sharing cluster resources across organizational boundaries. The project will also provide research experiences for graduate students and promote participation by underrepresented groups. Among the students participating in the project are two female PhD students. The project will also create opportunities for Duke's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program to mentor underrepresented undergraduates (primarily African-Americans) during summer internships.
