User Allocation Process Changes

The Science Mission Directorate (SMD) has changed the face of high-performance computing (HPC) at Goddard Space Flight Center by instituting a new system of resource allocations at the NASA Center for Computational Sciences (NCCS). With this action, the SMD expects to increase overall system utilization and quantify the computing requirements of its science community.

The NCCS has teamed up with REI systems to use their e-Books software, which provides Principal Investigators (PIs) with a single repository for all documents required throughout the allocation process. The process begins with a PI formally submitting a request for resources during the given year. Because in the past it was difficult for the NCCS to predict future resource requirements for the users (e.g., procurement of additional hardware, software, or storage), a PI must answer a list of questions detailing all manner of support a computational project would require of the NCCS. Examples of information requested are computing and storage requirements, needs for third-party software, network connectivity requirements, and requests for applications support.

Once SMD determines that a PI has valid NASA funding, it begins the process of granting or denying individual allocation requests. For the initial allocation period beginning November 2005, over 100 proposals were submitted across the full range of Earth and space science disciplines. This represented a potential over-subscription of the NCCS systems available for SMD allocation. Therefore, to accommodate as many proposals as possible, many of the allocation levels were set at levels less than those requested. Because SMD intends to review utilization throughout the life of each computational project, there is the potential for allocation levels to be adjusted quarterly.

By implementing this new process, the SMD is hoping to accomplish several goals. The first is to provide a uniform approach to allocating the shared resources at the NCCS. This will provide computing opportunity for projects that have never before run on the NCCS systems. The second goal is to increase the overall utilization of the NCCS systems. Previously, the systems were architected to accommodate a specific user community, which meant processors were often idle. By increasing the overall systems population, many users are able to run when other groups are inactive. Finally, by requiring reports from the PIs, the SMD will be better able to provide NASA Headquarters a summary of how the NCCS is supporting the individual science efforts. This in turn helps provide a justification to NASA Headquarters for additional resources as well as offering the PIs additional exposure to NASA management.

The NCCS is currently accepting proposals for its systems on a rolling basis. New proposals will be evaluated quarterly and potentially added to the overall workload on the systems. Interested parties should visit the NCCS web site.

http://www.nccs.nasa.gov/account_info.html