The NERSC Center --From A DOE Program Manager

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The NERSC Center--From A DOE Program Managers
Perspective--
A Presentation to the NERSC Users Group
Walter M. Polansky Acting Program Manager for
NERSC
LBNL February 22, 2001
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Presentation Topics

• MICS
• NERSC Center
• Budgets
• The Greenbook
• Challenges/Opportunities

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• Need for Information Technology RD
• Vendors cannot meet requirements for
  high-performance computing because DOE science
  programs
• require computing capabilities 10 to 100 times
  greater than typically available in commercial
  systems.
• move hundreds to thousands of gigabytes of data
  between only a few locations.

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High Performance Computers and Networks --
Importance to DOE Science --

• Many scientific questions important to DOE
  involve the integration of many scientific
  disciplines with characteristic lengths and times
  that range over many orders of magnitude (e.g.
  combustion).
• Computer simulation is the only practical way to
  study some systems (e.g. fusion plasma, climate,
  genome).
• Computer simulation can complement data and
  provide insight into the behavior of systems.
• High performance networks are critical to harness
  distributed resources for the analysis of
  experimental data (millions of gigabytes/year)
  and to support distributed simulations.

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MICS is an INTEGRATED Program Research --gt Users
Disciplinary Science and Engineering
External to SC
BES,BER,FES,HEP,NP
ASCR
Underlying Technologies Hardware
Software Networking
RD forApplications

ScientificComputing
FundamentalResearch
Testbeds
Applications, e.g. Materials Sciences
Chemical Sciences Combustion Modeling
Accelerator Science High Energy Physics
Nuclear Physics Fusion Energy Global
Climate ...
Applied Mathematics
Advanced Computing Software Tools
Scientific Application Pilots
Computer Science
Enabling Technology Centers
Groups of mathematicians, computer scientists,
application scientists, and software engineers
Access to Facilities Link Researchers
Networking
Collaboratory Tools
Collaboratory Pilots
Facilities
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National Energy Research Scientific Computing
Center
-- Goal -- To provide state of the art, high
performance computing capability resources and
professional user friendly services to a broadly
based user community of computational scientists
in support of the missions of the Office of
Science.
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NERSC-Enabled Research Accomplishments

• Magnetic materials
• Adaptive Mesh Refinement in Complex Geometries
• Accelerator design
• Stellerator optimization
• Predicting Protein Structure
• Microstructural Pattern Formation in
  Directional Solidification
• Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere System

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Advancing Computational Science of Scale-
Producing Real Results
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Budget History - NERSC, ACRF and ESnet at LBNL-
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Thoughts on the Greenbook

• Greenbook objective- Make a compelling case,
  based on the science, for upgrading NERSC
  resources (hardware services).
• Quality of science enabled by current NERSC.
• Existing and planned research opportunities unmet
  with present resources.
• Target Audience- Office of Science program
  managers.
• Other interested parties- OMB, OSTP, Congress,
  IG and GAO.
• Attributes-
• Cognizance of plans and initiatives (e.g.
  Flagship-Topical Center concept, nanotechnology,
  SciDAC).
• Good scientific and technical content but
  readable by non- scientists.
• An Executive Summary that (1) provides a concise
  overview of the document (2) and coaxes the
  reader to continue.

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The Greenbook- Foundation of a Strategy
Objective Instrument Lead Organization
Establish scientific basis Greenbook NERSC Users Group
Identify SC program needs --- SC Program Offices
Propose resources needed to meet needs --- NERSC
Prioritize high-performance computing needs Budget request Approved Plans Office of Science
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Challenges/Opportunities

• Increase awareness of NERSC-enabled contributions
  to the Office of Science mission.
• Remain engaged in NERSC planning and operations.
  
• Share information and experiences with user
  groups at other computing centers.
• Identify recent major scientific accomplishments
  and researcher recognition directly influenced by
  NERSC.
• View NERSC as an SC resource and asset.

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Personal Areas of Responsibility

• Program Manager for NERSC, Acting
• Program Manager for ACRFs, Acting
• Program Manager for Scientific Applications Pilot
  Projects, Acting
• Director, Technology Research Division
• Laboratory Technology Research Program
• SBIR and STTR Programs