Azure HPC PRO: 8-Week PoC

Designed for organizations with moderate computational demands, Oakwood’s Azure HPC PRO PoC offers a robust yet balanced environment that enables customers to experience the full potential of Azure’s HPC capabilities without the limitations of on-premises infrastructure. By moving workloads to Azure, organizations can enjoy flexible resource scaling, reduced capital expenditures, and enhanced data management through Azure Premium SSD or NetApp Files.

This PoC supports containerized workloads via AKS and features mid-level job scheduling with Slurm, allowing for adaptable workload management. Secure, high-speed connectivity through ExpressRoute makes this PoC ideal for organizations seeking a reliable and cost-effective solution that offers both scalability and high performance for moderate HPC applications.

Delivery Approach: • Assessment: Identify core performance requirements for mid-range workloads. • Design: Create a balanced environment with container support, mid-tier storage, and computing power. • Deployment: Configure CycleCloud, Slurm, AKS, and premium storage options like NetApp Files. • Testing: Execute moderate HPC tasks and analyze scalability. • Review and Report: Deliver a report detailing workload management, performance metrics, and production readiness.

Deliverables: • Customized CycleCloud deployment with mid-tier compute resources. • Integration of Slurm for job scheduling and AKS for containerized workloads. • Enhanced storage using Azure Premium SSD or NetApp Files. • Moderate HPC workload testing to assess scalability and performance.

Notes: • In addition to the 8 weeks, the Oakwood Team will devote an additional 2 weeks to work with the organization/user(s) to further optimize and manage the environment to ensure optimal performance. • The organization/user(s) will be limited by the number of jobs that can be ran during this PoC. • At this point a discussion will be had around moving forward with a full production environment or decommissioning the infrastructure that was stood up during the PoC.

Is Oakwood’s Azure HPC PRO PoC right for you? • Targeted Use: Moderate computational demands and flexible workload management. • Complexity & Level of Effort: Moderate complexity, with a balanced setup that includes containerized workload support via AKS, mid-tier storage, and advanced job scheduling with Slurm. Higher level of customization compared to the CORE PoC. • Scalability: Offers moderate scalability, ideal for organizations seeking a reliable solution for moderately complex applications and workloads.

Recommendation Guide: • If you need: A mid-level HPC environment that balances cost and performance, with containerized workloads and scalable storage options. • Consider HPC CORE if: Your workload is lightweight and doesn’t require containerization or high storage performance. • Consider HPC MAX if: You have complex workloads with high-performance needs, such as AI/ML simulations, requiring advanced networking and storage.