Versions Compared

Old Version 8

changes.mady.by.user user-29411

Saved on

compared with

New Version 9

changes.mady.by.user user-29411

Saved on

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.

...

  • Current answer: Hard drive RAID array in the head node.
  • Choices identified by ChemIT, to work through with Czarek:
  •  

Choice to provision users' data storage:

Pro

Con

Notes

Within the head node
(status quo)

Sunk cost: Pay once and it lasts at least through warranty period, probably longer (no monthly costs)
Known technology and proven performance.

May need to over-provision (pay extra up-front), speculating on future demands. Invest more now to reduce downtime due to future upgrade.
Depended on same sub-systems, so off-site backup (such as EZ-Backup) is critically important.

 

SFS

Fee based: Get only what you need.

Fee based: Monthly costs.
Must confirm: Meets Matrix's performance needs?
Includes off-site disaster-recovery backups.
Can include versioning (uses 20% of the space).

Used pervasively in Chemistry research, with versioning turned on for all instances.

NAS

 

Must confirm: Meets Matrix's performance needs?

 

Dedicated, separate file server

 

Oliver not willing to have ChemIT set up and run?

 

...

Decision 3: Head node specifications

Implementation questions:

Decision 4: Who gets "root" access?

Where should applications be installed and configured?

Where is "temp" (not backed up) data located?

The head node specifications is DEPENDENT on Decision 1 (and maybe Decision 2).

  • Size decision
    • 1U is cheapest, and fine if don't need to hold lots of drives.
    • 2U is more expensive, but can hold more drives.
  • Current answer:
  • Proposed by ChemIT:
  • Proposed by Czarek:

Decisions made

Compute nodes

...

  • UPS (APC SMC1500-2U; $500; for head node only)
  • 2-3 PDUs (power distribution units; a.k.a. power strips; $100 each)
    • Qty depends on above decisions (amperage calculations)

Rack (~$500)

  • $500

Implementation decisions (for after purchase decisions!)

For each question:

  • Current answer:
  • Proposed by ChemIT:
  • Proposed by Czarek:

Where should applications be installed and configured?

Where is "temp" (not backed up) data located?

Who gets "root" access?

Considerations for upgrade (info-gathering phase)

...