FY12 Quarter 3 Computing Utilization Report – LANL

Abstract

DSW continues to dominate the capacity workload, with a focus in Q3 on common model baselining runs in preparation for the Annual Assessment Review (AAR) of the weapon systems. There remains unmet demand for higher fidelity simulations, and for increased throughput of simulations. Common model baselining activities would benefit from doubling the resolution of the models and running twice as many simulations. Capacity systems were also utilized during the quarter to prepare for upcoming Level 2 milestones. Other notable DSW activities include validation of new physics models and safety studies. The safety team used the capacity resources extensively for projects involving 3D computer simulations for the Furrow series of experiments at DARHT (a Level 2 milestone), fragment impact, surety theme, PANTEX assessments, and the 120-day study. With the more than tripling of classified capacity computing resources with the addition of the Luna system and the safety team's imminent access to the Cielo system, demand has been met for current needs. The safety team has performed successful scaling studies on Luna up to 16K PE size-jobs with linear scaling, running the large 3D simulations required for the analysis of Furrow. They will be investigating scaling studies on the Cielo system with the Lustre file system in Q4. Overall average capacity utilization was impacted by negative effects of the LANL Voluntary Separation Program (VSP) at the beginning of Q3, in which programmatic staffing was reduced by 6%, with further losses due to management backfills and attrition, resulting in about 10% fewer users. All classified systems were impacted in April by a planned 2 day red network outage. ASC capacity workload continues to focus on code development, regression testing, and verification and validation (V&V) studies. Significant capacity cycles were used in preparation for a JOWOG in May and several upcoming L2 milestones due in Q4. A network transition has been underway on the unclassified networks to increase access of all ASC users to the unclassified systems through the Yellow Turquoise Integration (YeTI) project. This will help to alleviate the longstanding shortage of resources for ASC unclassified code development and regression testing, and also make a broader palette of machines available to unclassified ASC users, including PSAAP Alliance users. The Moonlight system will be the first capacity resource to be made available through the YETI project, and will make available a significant increase in cycles, as well as GPGPU accelerator technology. The Turing and Lobo machines will be decommissioned in the next quarter. ASC projects running on Cielo as part of the CCC-3 include turbulence, hydrodynamics, burn, asteroids, polycrystals, capability and runtime performance improvements, and materials including carbon and silicone.