StorCloud: A High Bandwidth Storage Area Network Initiative for SC2004
A new initiative for SC2004 is to build a High Performance Computing (HPC) storage capability to showcase HPC storage technologies (topologies, devices, interconnects). This initiative, termed StorCloud, will comprise state-of-the-art heterogeneous devices and technology to build a virtual on-site “storage on request” area network capability to support researchers and demonstrate high bandwidth applications at the conference.

StorCloud will:

• showcase evolutionary and revolutionary HPC storage technologies in a heterogeneous environment
• provide at least 1 PetaByte of randomly accessible storage to SC2004 participants
• approach a 1 TeraByte per second infrastructure bandwidth
• provide a 1 GigaByte per second backup bandwidth
• leverage SCinet infrastructure
• manage and allocate resources to SC2004 participants

Storage, file system and software vendors are contributing equipment and expertise to the initiative for the duration of SC2004. The storage equipment will be attached and assigned to host platforms throughout the convention on an “as requested” basis. Host platforms will partition, format, and use the storage as needed. Sharing devices will also be accommodated between cooperating parties.

StorCloud is architected and deployed entirely by volunteers from government, industry and academia.  It will combine state-of-the-art access mechanisms, storage devices, and control/management software to provide an extreme storage capability to conference exhibitors.  Additionally, StorCloud will host an applications competition, the StorCloud Challenge. Teams from interested communities that wish to demonstrate high bandwidth applications using StorCloud will be given the time, space, and bandwidth required for their demonstration.

A special thanks to the following organizations for their contributions to this initiative: Brocade, Cisco, DataDirect Networks, Dell, EMC, HPTi, IBM, Intransa, Linux Networx, Marconi, McDATA, Network Appliance, SAIC, Raytheon, Panasas, Platform, SGI, SICORP, StorageTek, Spinnaker, and Veritas

For more information on the StorCloud initiative, visit the web site http://www.sc-conference.org/sc2004/storcloud.html or send email to: storcloud04@nacse.org.

SC2004 will be held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA, November 6-12. For more information about the SC2004 conference, please visit the web site at www.sc-conference.org/sc2004.