National Computational Infrastructure (NCI)
Brief Introduction and Overview
The National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) stands as Australia's premier high-performance computing, data, and storage organization. It plays a vital role in supporting scientific research, governmental initiatives, and industrial advancements across a wide spectrum of disciplines. NCI's core mission is to significantly enhance the ambition, impact, and overall outcomes of Australian research endeavors, aligning its efforts with national research priorities and the pursuit of scientific excellence. Its advanced resources and expertise empower researchers to tackle complex challenges and push the boundaries of scientific discovery.
Overview
NCI's roots trace back to the Australian Partnership for Advanced Computing (APAC), established in 2001. APAC's infrastructure, initially commissioned at The Australian National University (ANU), laid the foundation for NCI. The transition from APAC to the current NCI collaborative structure commenced in 2007, marking a significant evolution in its capabilities and scope. This collaborative model strengthened its capacity to serve the broader Australian research community.
Key Milestones in NCI's History and Growth:
- 2001: The APAC National Facility was commissioned at The Australian National University (ANU).
- 2007: APAC began its transformation into the current NCI collaborative structure. This marked a shift towards a more integrated and collaborative approach, expanding its reach and impact.
Regulatory Compliance and Licenses
NCI's operations are underpinned by the Australian Government's National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). This strategic framework provides crucial support for NCI's activities. The organization functions under a formal collaborative agreement involving several key partners: CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology, ANU, Geoscience Australia, the Australian Research Council, and a number of leading research-intensive universities and medical research institutes. This collaborative structure ensures a wide range of expertise and resources are leveraged to optimize NCI's services and impact.
High-Performance Computing and Data Services
NCI's core strength lies in its provision of cutting-edge high-performance computing (HPC) and data services. These resources are instrumental in enabling complex scientific simulations, data analysis, and research endeavors across diverse fields.
Main High-Performance Computing Installations:
- Gadi: This flagship system boasts a staggering 9.26 PetaFLOP processing power. This distributed memory cluster comprises 145,152 cores (Intel Xeon Scalable 'Cascade Lake' processors) across 3024 nodes. Its impressive specifications include 160 nodes equipped with four Nvidia V100 GPUs, 567 Terabytes of main memory, 20 Petabytes of fast storage, 47 Petabytes of storage for large data files, and 50 Petabytes of tape storage for archival purposes. Gadi's capabilities enable researchers to tackle computationally intensive problems previously considered intractable.
- Tenjin: A 67 TeraFLOP bespoke high-performance partner cloud, Tenjin provides a scalable and flexible computing environment, complementing the capabilities of Gadi and catering to specific research needs.
Data Services and Storage:
NCI's data services and storage capabilities are equally impressive. It operates the fastest filesystems in the Southern Hemisphere, providing a total capacity exceeding 75 Petabytes. The infrastructure also includes a robust replicated tape-based long-term storage system for archival purposes, ensuring the long-term preservation and accessibility of valuable research data.
Additional Services
Beyond its HPC and storage capabilities, NCI offers a range of additional services designed to support researchers throughout their projects.
Other Services Provided:
- Data Management Expertise: NCI excels in data management, curating and optimizing nationally and internationally significant reference datasets. This includes crucial datasets like CMIP5 and CMIP6, ERA5, Landsat, and Himawari, empowering researchers with access to high-quality, readily available data.
- Cloud Services: NCI provides robust cloud services supporting web and data access portals, long-running services, data analytics, data processing, and general cloud-based virtual machine capabilities. This flexible infrastructure adapts to various processing workflows, offering researchers diverse options for their computational needs.
Access and Funding
Access to NCI's computational resources is meticulously managed to ensure equitable distribution and optimal utilization. Access is granted to funding partners and researchers awarded grants under the National Computing Merit Allocation Scheme (NCMAS). This competitive allocation process prioritizes high-impact research projects.
NCI's operational funding stems from the Australian Government's NCRIS, a crucial source of support. Further funding is secured through a formal collaboration involving CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology, ANU, Geoscience Australia, the Australian Research Council, and several research-intensive universities and medical research institutes. This collaborative funding model emphasizes the importance of NCI's contribution to national research priorities.
Customer Service and Support
NCI provides comprehensive customer service and support to assist users in accessing and utilizing its resources effectively. Multiple contact methods ensure researchers can readily obtain assistance when needed.
Contact Methods:
- General Enquiries: 02 6125 9800
- Media Enquiries: 02 6125 4389 or 0429 193 181
- Help Desk: help “at” nci.org.au or 02 6125 3437
Pros and Cons of National Computational Infrastructure
Like any significant infrastructure, NCI presents both advantages and limitations. Understanding these aspects allows researchers to make informed decisions about utilizing its resources effectively.
Pros:
- High-Performance Computing: NCI offers world-class high-performance computing and data services, supporting diverse workloads across the scientific spectrum. Its resources empower researchers to tackle the most challenging computational problems.
- Data Storage and Management: NCI operates the fastest filesystems in the Southern Hemisphere, providing extensive data storage and management capabilities. This ensures researchers have the necessary tools to manage their data effectively.
Cons:
- Limited Access: Access to certain data collections might be restricted based on data owner stipulations. This is a common practice to protect sensitive or proprietary data.
- Data Management Requirements: Researchers are responsible for managing their data produced at NCI, adhering to data management guidelines and removing data once it's no longer needed for the research project. This ensures responsible data management and efficient resource utilization.
Conclusion
The National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) is a cornerstone of Australian research, providing essential high-performance computing and data services. Its role in fostering an internationally competitive research environment is undeniable, attracting and retaining leading researchers in the country. NCI’s commitment to excellence ensures that Australia remains at the forefront of scientific discovery and technological advancement.
Researchers from universities, government science agencies, medical research institutes, and industry research organizations will significantly benefit from leveraging NCI's capabilities to further their research endeavors and achieve groundbreaking results.
Frequently Asked Questions about National Computational Infrastructure
Answers to Common Questions:
- How to Access Data Collections: Researchers can register through the my.nci.org.au portal to access data collections at NCI. Access to specific data collections is determined by the data owners and may be subject to restrictions.
- Data Management: Users are given autonomy over their dataset management; however, they are expected to manage the data they produce at NCI responsibly, adhering to data management guidelines and removing data when no longer required.
Bullet Points Summary:
- NCI is Australia's leading high-performance computing and data infrastructure.
- It supports research across various scientific disciplines, government, and industry.
- Key computing resources include the Gadi and Tenjin systems.
- NCI offers extensive data storage and management services.
- Access to resources is via funding partners and the NCMAS.
- NCI is funded through the Australian Government's NCRIS and collaborations.
- Strong customer service and support are provided through various contact channels.
References
- [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Computational_Infrastructure
- [2] https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/profile/national-computational-infrastructure-nci/
- [3] https://researchdata.edu.au/contributors/national-computational-infrastructure
- [4] https://nci.org.au/about-us/who-we-are
