...

1) Confirm support (draft)

To to by Chemistry IT

...

:

Where in our 248 Baker Lab server farm? CPU and UPS. Power, switch/ networking.

Still need to confirm we can "turn off" logging into Windows using NetIDs.

• System is AD-based Windows using group's instrument account. And VNC remote access tool uses AD group to enable access by NetID, so confirm that still also works with any changes made to restricting Windows log-on.

To to by the Chen Group

Confirm no storage backup since can rerun computations potentially lost. If hard drive breas, Chemistry IT can re-install and configure OS and applications. But all group data and results will be lost.

Does the analogy of using the server as a "toaster" resonate and work? The only time a failure of the server impacts work is when a job is being calculated. Once the data has been analyzed, the server should no longer have a copy of the original data analysed, nor the results. Those are like the bread, in a toaster.

Chemistry IT's role and responsibilities

• Be responsive and respectful of requests from the Chen group, including requests for software installations. Includes:
  • Installing or removing applications, configuring CPU threading.
• Conduct regular maintenance by Chemistry IT
  • At least every 3 months, require the system to be taken off-line. Usually able to accomplish updates within a morning. Scheduled for every 3 months for a specific place-holder date and reminders that all jobs will be stopped are sent 2 weeks, then 1 week, then 1 day before the maintenance. On day-of work, any remaining jobs are terminated by Chemistry IT so they can accomplish the required work.
• Chemistry IT installs and maintains OS and application updates and upgrades. Configures and maintains remote access technology.

Chen group role and responsibilities

• Be responsive and respectful of requests from Chemistry IT, including planning around maintenance or emergency technical work.
• Understand that access will require using a VPN if accessing the server from personal computers, or from eduroam/ RedRover, or from home.
  • VPN is not required if server is accessed from current group's computational computers.
• Understand server is for processing data, not for on-going storage of data or results. Maintain data hygiene on server's storage drive to ensure that:
  • Server never has collected data that is not primarily available elsewhere. Once data has been analyzed, that data should be deleted from the server.
  • Group members do not use the server for long-term storage of results. Results should be copied elsewhere (example: Group's file share) and then deleted from the server

• Be responsive and respectful of requests from the Chen group, including requests for software installations.
• Conduct regular maintenance by Chemistry IT
• At least every 3 months, require the system to be taken off-line. Usually able to accomplish updates within a morning. Scheduled for every 3 months and reminders that all jobs will be stopped are sent 1 week and 1 day before the maintenance.
• Chemistry IT installing OS and application updates and upgrades
• Installing or removing applications, configuring CPU threading.

On-request changes by Chen's group

• Be responsive and respectful of requests from Chemistry IT, including planning around maintenance or emergency technical work
  • .

2) Deciding on the final specs

...

Below on this page is an outline on the costs and trade-offs of likely computation bottlenecks, for Peng's consideration.

Server

Dell R440

$4,016.14, plus:

of likely computation bottlenecks, for Peng's consideration.

...

Server: Dell R440

$4,016.14 itself, plus:

• Any upgrades of the server's processors or memory (below).
• Server's storage drive (below): $100-900 (not necessarily Dell).

Other anticipated, related costs:

• Uninterruptible power supply (UPS):
• Licensing: MatLab
  • Move from existing workstation (no change in annual costs), or add a license?
• Licensing: VNC
  • $xx (per year?)
• Unlikely: Switch or other networking. Use existing infrastructure, paid by others.
• Unlikely: Rack or other physical provisioning costs. Use small portion of existing infrastructure, paid by others.
• storage drive (below): $500-1,000.
• Any upgrades (below)

1) Processors

The server will have two Xeon Intel processors.

...