In brief: TRECC tackles on-demand computing

As more and more researchers turn to cluster-based systems to handle intensive computing tasks, the need to prioritize those tasks also increases. We are developing system software for scheduling computing cycles on demand. TRECC's approach to secure cluster computing on demand is a matter of managing workflow. TRECC's work in virtualization is in step with one of the hottest trends in cluster computing. Virtualization works by effectively splitting one or more cluster nodes into a greater number of virtual nodes. To do this, the scheduler needs additional information that lets it decide whether a given job can even run effectively under a virtual environment. The virtualization component currently lets researchers start and stop virtual machines on demand and launch as well as successfully run MPI (message passing interface) jobs inside a virtual machine.