In a significant advancement for high-performance computing (HPC), Microsoft Azure has integrated Open OnDemand with Azure CycleCloud Workspace for Slurm, enhancing accessibility and usability for researchers and engineers. This collaboration aims to simplify the management and utilization of HPC resources, making them more accessible to a broader audience.

Background on Open OnDemand and Azure CycleCloud

Open OnDemand is an open-source, web-based portal developed by the Ohio Supercomputer Center. It provides users with a unified interface to submit and monitor jobs, manage files, and run scientific applications remotely through a web browser. This platform is designed to streamline the user experience, catering to both novice and experienced HPC users. Azure CycleCloud is a management tool that facilitates the orchestration and management of HPC environments on Azure. It allows users to provision infrastructure for HPC systems, deploy familiar HPC schedulers like Slurm, and automatically scale the infrastructure to run jobs efficiently at any scale.

Integration of Open OnDemand with Azure CycleCloud Workspace for Slurm

The integration of Open OnDemand with Azure CycleCloud Workspace for Slurm enables users to dynamically create and configure an Open OnDemand server within minutes. The system automatically deploys Open OnDemand and registers any Slurm cluster deployed by CycleCloud, streamlining the setup process. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

Key Features of the Integration:
  • Dynamic Server Creation: Quickly configure and deploy an Open OnDemand server.
  • Dynamic Registration of Slurm Clusters: Automatically register Slurm clusters in Open OnDemand.
  • Visual Studio Code Applications: Launch Visual Studio Code in web mode on login nodes or dynamically provisioned compute nodes.

Authentication and Customization

Users authenticate to the Open OnDemand portal using their Entra ID account, which is mapped to a local user account managed by CycleCloud. Once operational, the Open OnDemand application can be customized further by adding additional scientific applications or features, as detailed in the documentation. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

Implications and Impact

This integration represents a significant advancement in simplifying access to HPC resources, empowering users with greater flexibility and control. By combining the capabilities of Open OnDemand and Azure CycleCloud, Microsoft Azure is making HPC more accessible and manageable, thereby accelerating research and innovation across various scientific and engineering domains.

Technical Details

  • Open OnDemand Portal: Provides a web-based interface for job submission, file management, and application execution.
  • Azure CycleCloud Workspace for Slurm: Manages the deployment and scaling of Slurm clusters on Azure, integrating seamlessly with Open OnDemand.
  • Authentication: Utilizes Entra ID for secure user authentication and management.
  • Customization: Supports the addition of scientific applications and features to tailor the environment to specific research needs.

Conclusion

The collaboration between Azure and Open OnDemand, facilitated by Azure CycleCloud Workspace for Slurm, marks a transformative step in the evolution of HPC accessibility. By simplifying the deployment and management of HPC resources, this integration enables researchers and engineers to focus more on innovation and less on infrastructure management.

Financial Information

  • Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Current stock price is $450.18 USD, with a market capitalization of $2.79 trillion.
  • Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD): Current stock price is $110.31 USD.