The efficient, convenient, and robust execution of data-driven workflows and enhanced data management are key for productivity in scientific computing and computer-aided RD&E. Big data tools integrate compute and storage capabilities into a holistic solution demonstrating the benefit of tight integrating while the HPC community still optimizes the compute and storage components independently from each other, and, moreover, independently from the needs of end-to-end user workflows that ultimately lead to insight. Even within a single data center, utilizing homogeneous storage and compute infrastructure efficiently is complex for experts. The efficient management of data and compute capabilities in a heterogeneous environment, however, is an unresolved question as the execution of individual tasks from workflows may benefit from alternative hardware architectures and infrastructures.

In this BoF, we bring the community together to discuss visions for a data-centric computing environment of the future that gives the fastest time to insight by applying concepts like smart scheduling and compiler technology which, e.g., minimize data movement for the entire workflow and exploit capabilities of heterogeneous environments that stretch beyond a single data center. As this has implications on data-center planning, hardware/software infrastructure starting from a higher-level workflow formulation to smarter hardware and software layers, it affects the wider HPC community. We gathered a range of stakeholders from industry and academia interested in this approach with the ultimate goal is to establish a forum that addresses the need for Next Generation Interfaces that defines and realizes the vision that will impact the next generations of scientists.

This BoF is powered by the Virtual Institute for I/O and ESiWACE ¹⁾.

Please see the official announcement.

The BoF is organized by

• Julian Kunkel (Department of Computer Science, University of Reading, UK), j.m.kunkel@reading.ac.uk
• Jay Lofstead (Sandia National Lab, USA), gflofst@sandia.gov
• Jean-Thomas Acquaviva (DDN, France), jtacquaviva@ddn.com

First, the speakers from industry and academia prime the audience with visions for the HPC in the future and the proposal for the establishment of the new forum. After the short joint presentation, the Q&A takes place followed by surveys that assess the agreement/disagreement of individual aspects and rank the importance of certain features and requirements. We will explicitly invite the attendees to share their considerations of these matters and the approaches they chose to overcome some of the issues in their working environment.

The BoF topic is very inclusive addressing vendors, solution architects, and scientists dealing with computing, or storage in workflows, applications, or in administrative domains such as data centers. Particularly, we are interested in an audience that is critically reflecting on the current state of practice and willing to share their thoughts.

• 5min Welcome – Julian Kunkel (University of Reading)
• 30min Joint presentation – Jean-Thomas Acquaviva, Julian Kunkel, Jay Lofstead
  Slides
• Discussion