My First Supercomputing Adventure:
A Rookie Robot’s Guide to SC24 Hey there! Roco here, Red Oak Consulting’s newest (and cutest, right?) team member! I
Expert Implementation: Delivering Your HPC Vision, On Time and In Budget
Implementing a new High-Performance Computing (HPC) solution requires both a high level of technical skill but also strong leadership in project management. Acting as an extension of your team, we can provide a range of services to deliver on time and in budget project success, these include:
- End to End project management: Prince 2 methodology, collaborative planning, risk management, stakeholder management.
- Vendor Management: Risk reduction, service assurance, performance monitoring, effective communication and successful supply chain delivery.
- Technical Assurance: Our experienced engineers handle the installation and configuration of both HPC hardware and software and conduct full testing to ensure a seamless implementation.
- System Deployment & Configuration: We ensure optimal system performance and resource utilisation through meticulous configuration based on best practices including fine-tuning network settings, storage optimisation, and application integration.
- Reduced Risk & Complexity: We navigate the intricacies of implementation, minimising potential disruptions and ensuring a smooth transition.
Red Oak made the whole project go smoothly and they understood our expectation. The Team was very friendly and approachable and showed a high level of professionalism. The Red Oak Team put a lot of effort in the commissioning and it was hugely appreciated.”
Swansea University,
College of Engineering
We worked closely with Red Oak during our first steps in our cloud-HPC journey at Johnson Matthey. Starting from our proof-of concept evaluating the offering of cloud providers to the Pilot phase and roll-out, Red Oak worked with JM to navigate technical challenges and deliver a solution with Microsoft Azure that now enables our scientist to leverage HPC and simulate sustainable materials for the future.”
Johnson Matthey
Data Centre Selection
The choices for hosting High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems are diverse and abundant. At Red Oak, our extensive knowledge and experience in HPC hosting enable us to offer impartial recommendations across all aspects of data centre and HPC hosting needs.
HPC Procurement
We can help manage the complex process of HPC technical specifications to deliver the right solution, on time and in budget.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
For years, HPC has traditionally been an on-premises affair. Many focus on the upfront costs, neglecting the broader picture. Prioritising the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is essential for informed decision-making.
Why Red Oak Consulting?
Our team boasts a proven track record, having successfully led and project managed over 45 HPC projects of varying sizes and complexities. This extensive experience translates into a streamlined implementation strategy that ensures your new HPC environment is delivered on time, within budget, and exceeding expectations.
Here’s what sets Red Oak’s implementation approach apart:
- Clinical Precision: We approach each installation with a meticulous eye for detail, guaranteeing a smooth and efficient process.
- Expert Vendor Management: Red Oak acts as your trusted advisor, expertly navigating the complexities of vendor relationships. We ensure all parties are aligned with project goals and facilitate clear communication, maximising value, and minimising potential hiccups.
- Multifaceted Leadership: Our project managers are adept at coordinating and leading diverse stakeholders, fostering seamless collaboration between your team, vendors, and Red Oak engineers.
- Transparent Communication: We establish clear project protocols upfront, ensuring everyone involved is aligned with goals and timelines.
- Proactive Management: Our team actively manages deadlines and anticipates any potential roadblocks, keeping your project on track.
- Technical Expertise: Each project benefits from a designated technical lead. This expert possesses a deep understanding of the entire HPC implementation lifecycle, ensuring efficient execution and maintaining project momentum.
- Mitigating Risk and Ensuring Success: We go beyond simply managing tasks; we actively mitigate risks throughout the process. Our team maintains a comprehensive risk log, identifying potential challenges and developing proactive solutions to ensure your project stays on budget and within the defined timeframe.
Explore Our Range of HPC Consultancy Services
Strategy & Planning
Build a HPC strategy that will deliver on current and future requirements for all users, including funding investment for a sustainable solution.
Procurement
Managing the complex process of HPC technical specifications, as in-depth as required, to deliver the right solution, on time and in budget.
Expansion & Optimisation
Understand your workflows, the ratio of computational intensity vs data intensity, test performance, speed, agility, whilst analysing all HPC costs to understand its true value.
Maintenance & Support
Boost productivity with our HPC Cloud Computing services, including expert support, system management and research engineering.
Cloud Consultancy
Understand the value of Cloud computing for both businesses and users through enhanced capability, workload optimisation, and increased productivity.
With unparalleled experience in deploying major, multi-million-pound systems worldwide, Red Oak Consulting stands as a leader in the field.
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High-Performance Computing projects delivered
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HPC projects delivered on time
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HPC procurements ranging from £100K to £500 million
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Proven track record of customer satisfaction
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HPC in the Cloud projects
FAQs
The procurement process should be thorough enough to clearly outline any consequences of delays for bidders. This mitigates any impact on the customer. Red Oak’s extensive experience with HPC procurements and installations can ensure that any such eventualities are covered.
To minimise delay and cost we recommend a factory acceptance test (FAT). If this is successful, a site integration and acceptance test (SIAT) should be performed when components are delivered to ensure that no regressions or changes have occurred since the factory test. Factory and site acceptance testing will usually be performed by the supplier with oversight from the customer or a third party specialist.
Red Oak has extensive experience in this regard.
Using a trusted, experienced, and independent third party to oversee testing to ensure that the supplier has assembled and tested the order with due diligence and that any commonly overlooked problems are kept in check.
This is highly dependent on the size and scale of the solution. In terms of actual build time this can typically last anywhere between a week to a month. However, depending on the extent of system testing, the full shipping, building and testing process can take up to 6 months or in some cases more.
This is a common scenario and making this a requirement during the procurement process can ensure that the supplier is aware of this need and plans the installation of a smaller test system to help you begin porting your workflows.
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Ready to Bridge the Gap Between Strategy and Success?
Contact Red Oak Consulting today to discuss your HPC implementation requirements. With our expert guidance and proven implementation strategy, your HPC vision will become a reality, propelling your organisation to new heights of success.
