TACC provides comprehensive advanced computing resources, including:

• High performance computing (HPC) systems of a variety of architectures to enable larger simulations analyses and faster computation times than are possible using computers available to individual researchers, academic departments, and research centers and institutes;
• Advanced scientific visualization (SciVis) resources, including computing systems with high performance graphics hardware, large displays, and immersive environments, and high-end post-production facilities to enable large data analysis and promote knowledge discovery;
• Massive data storage/archival systems to store the vast quantities of data that result from performing simulations on HPC systems and developing visualizations of large data sets;
• Networking to allow both local- and wide-area access to TACC’s resources; and
• Software and tools to assist scientists and technical practitioners in using advanced compute and data hardware resources, and to utilize remote visualization resources.

HPC Systems

• Ranger, a Sun Constellation Linux Cluster
• Lonestar, a Dell Dual-Core Linux Cluster
• Stampede, a Dell Quad-core Linux serial job cluster
• Champion, an IBM Power5 System

Visualization Resources

The ACES Visualization Laboratory ("Vislab"), located in ACES 2.404a, contains high-end visualization equipment for data exploration, collaboration, and presentation. The lab includes: Stallion, a Dell visualization cluster with 24 nodes and a 15x5 307 megapixel tiled display; a Sony SRX-S105 9M pixel flat projection system driven by a high-end Dell workstation; a collaboration room with a Dell DLP projection system and Dell workstation; and four high-end Dell workstations for visualization development and smaller-scale data exploration. Click on the link above for more information and a floorplan of the new Vislab.

Spur, a Sun Visualization Cluster, contains 128 compute cores, 1 TB aggregate memory and 32 GPUs. Spur shares the InfiniBand interconnect and Lustre Parallel file system of Ranger, TACC's Sun Constellation Linux Cluster. Thus, Spur acts not only as a powerful stand-alone visualization system: it also enables researchers to perform visualization tasks on Ranger-produced data without migrating to another file system and to integrate simulation and rendering tasks on a single network fabric.

Data Storage

TACC operates a data storage system comprised of an SGI Origin 2000 running the Data Migration Facility (DMF) software and supported by two StorageTek PowderHorn tape silos with a combined storage capacity of over 2.2 petabytes of user data.

Networking

TACC, the University of Texas at Austin’s ITS Telecommunication and Networking Services, and the University of Texas System’s Office of Telecommunication Services networking infrastructure provides both local- and wide-area communications with TACC resources. TACC also manages a connection to the NSF TeraGrid high-speed backbone.

Software Tools

TACC also creates and modifies software tools to help researchers be more productive when using HPC systems. These tools were developed in response to common user questions, and are intended to aid in cross-platform compatibility and allow researchers to utilize HPC systems in situations where they otherwise might not be able. TACC will continue to enhance existing tools and develop new ones based on usage patterns and user input.