DHPC Adelaide

DHPC Technical Report DHPC-002

An ATM-based Distributed High Performance Computing System

K.A.Hawick, H.A.James, K.J.Maciunas, F.A.Vaughan, A.L.Wendelborn, M.Buchhorn, M.Rezny, S.R.Taylor and M.D.Wilson

Archived: 15 November 1996

Published in Proc. of High Performance Computing and Networks (HPCN) Europe '97, Vienna, April 1997.

Abstract

We describe the distributed high performance computing system we have developed to integrate together a heterogeneous set of high performance computers, high capacity storage systems and fast communications hardware. Our system is based upon Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) communications technology and we routinely operate between the geographically distant sites of Adelaide and Canberra (separated by some 1100km) using Telstra's ATM-based Experimental Broadband Network (EBN). We discuss some of the latency and performance issues that result from running day-to-day operations across such a long distance network. In addition to reviewing the hardware and systems software we have used, we relate some of the experience we have gained from integrating this technology into our working environment. We believe this type of distributed computing system has great potential for a range of distributed applications which we also present.

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