Dirac 2.5 Operations

天文学、核物理和粒子物理学界的物理学家都致力于从一个非常基本的层面上理解宇宙是如何运作的。从大型强子对撞机（Large Hadron Collider）实验探测到的原子核深处的最小距离，到在太空中发现的最大尺度星系团，它们工作的距离尺度相差50个数量级。然而，科学方面的挑战是通过以下问题联系起来的：宇宙是如何开始的？它是如何进化的？宇宙的基本成分和结构是什么？它们是如何相互作用的？进步需要新的天文观测和实验数据，但也需要新的理论见解。理论理解越来越多地来自大规模计算，它使我们能够非常准确地利用数据面对理论的结果，或者允许我们详细地询问数据以提取对我们的理论有影响的信息。这些计算测试了我们拥有的最快的计算机，并推动了这一领域的技术界限。他们还提供了一个良好的环境，培训学生在最先进的技术，代码优化和数据挖掘和可视化。DiRAC-2.5项目建立在DiRAC高性能计算设施的成功基础上，将在2017年为stfc支持的所有科学领域提供支持前沿研究所需的资源。DiRAC-2.5将从2017年4月起维护现有的DiRAC-2服务，并在达勒姆、剑桥和莱斯特提供和增加计算资源。这笔拨款将支持爱丁堡DiRAC服务的运行，该服务目前包括98384个操作计算核心，服务于大约80%的DiRAC计算周期。该系统由原始的1.26PFlop/s DiRAC BlueGene/Q系统和最近由STFC转移到爱丁堡的六个机架的Hartree BlueJoule超级计算机组成。DiRAC项目还将提供一个由三名研究软件工程师组成的团队，他们将帮助DiRAC研究人员确保他们的科学代码从DiRAC集群的硬件组件中提取最佳性能。这些高技能的程序员将在2017年期间提高DiRAC设施的有效计算能力。

Physicists across the astronomy, nuclear and particle physics communities are focussed on understanding how the Universe works at a very fundamental level. The distance scales with which they work vary by 50 orders of magnitude from the smallest distances probed by experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, deep within the atomic nucleus, to the largest scale galaxy clusters discovered out in space. The Science challenges, however, are linked through questions such as: How did the Universe begin and how is it evolving? and What are the fundamental constituents and fabric of the Universe and how do they interact?Progress requires new astronomical observations and experimental data but also new theoretical insights. Theoretical understanding comes increasingly from large-scale computations that allow us to confront the consequences of our theories very accurately with the data or allow us to interrogate the data in detail to extract information that has impact on our theories. These computations test the fastest computers that we have and push the boundaries of technology in this sector. They also provide an excellent environment for training students in state-of-the-art techniques for code optimisation and data mining and visualisation. The DiRAC-2.5 project builds on the success of the DiRAC HPC facility and will provide the resources neededto support cutting edge research during 2017 in all areas of science supported by STFC.DiRAC-2.5 will provide maintain the existing DiRAC-2 services from April 2017, and also provide and increase in computationalresources at Durham, Cambridge and Leicester.This grant will support the operation of the Edinburgh DiRAC services, which presently comprise98384 operational computing cores serving around 80% of DiRAC computing cycles. The system is made upfrom both the original 1.26PFlop/s DiRAC BlueGene/Q system and, following a recent transferto Edinburgh by STFC, six racks of the Hartree BlueJoule supercomputer.The DiRAC project also will offer a team of three research software engineers who will help DiRAC researchers to ensure their scientific codes to extractthe best possible performance from the hardware components of the DiRAC clusters. These highly skilled programmers willincrease the effective computational power of the DiRAC facility during 2017.