Cloud: Difference between revisions
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Virtual machines can be easily replicated. One can take a "snapshot" of a VM which can then be started again elsewhere. This makes it easy to replicate or scale up a service, and to recover from (for example) a power interruption. | Virtual machines can be easily replicated. One can take a "snapshot" of a VM which can then be started again elsewhere. This makes it easy to replicate or scale up a service, and to recover from (for example) a power interruption. | ||
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Is the cloud the right place for your work? If you can fit your work easily into the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercomputer HPC] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batch_processing batch] submission work flow and environment (see [[What is a scheduler?]]) it is likely a better solution, as there are more [https://www.computecanada.ca/research-portal/national-services/compute/ resources available] for HPC. It is also possible to use tools like [[Singularity]] to run custom software stacks inside containers within Compute Canada HPC clusters. | Is the cloud the right place for your work? If you can fit your work easily into the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercomputer HPC] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batch_processing batch] submission work flow and environment (see [[What is a scheduler?]]) it is likely a better solution, as there are more [https://www.computecanada.ca/research-portal/national-services/compute/ resources available] for HPC. It is also possible to use tools like [[Singularity]] to run custom software stacks inside containers within Compute Canada HPC clusters. | ||
==Using the Cloud== | ==Using the Cloud== <!--T:7--> | ||
* If you are new to the cloud see our [[Cloud Quick Start|cloud quick start]] guide, which walks you through creating your first VM. | * If you are new to the cloud see our [[Cloud Quick Start|cloud quick start]] guide, which walks you through creating your first VM. | ||
* If you have already created your first VM the next step may be to: | * If you have already created your first VM the next step may be to: | ||
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** [[backing up your VM]] | ** [[backing up your VM]] | ||
==Cloud systems== | ==Cloud systems== <!--T:8--> | ||
The details of the underlying hardware and Openstack versions are described on the [[cloud resources]] page. The [[system status]] page contains information about the current cloud status and future planned maintenance and upgrade activities. | The details of the underlying hardware and Openstack versions are described on the [[cloud resources]] page. The [[system status]] page contains information about the current cloud status and future planned maintenance and upgrade activities. | ||
Revision as of 14:23, 28 July 2017
The Compute Canada Cloud resource or "CC-Cloud" is a pool of hardware supporting virtualization. This can be thought of as Infrastructure as a Service.
A user of the Cloud will typically create or "spin up" one or more virtual machines (VMs or "instances"). He or she then logs into the VM with administrative privileges, installs any desired software, and runs the software applications needed. These applications could be as diverse as a CPU-intensive analysis of particle physics data, or a web service directed towards scholars of literature and the humanities. The advantage is that the Cloud user has complete control over the collection of installed software (the "software stack"). The disadvantage is that the Cloud user must have some degree of experience in installing software and otherwise managing a computer.
Virtual machines can be easily replicated. One can take a "snapshot" of a VM which can then be started again elsewhere. This makes it easy to replicate or scale up a service, and to recover from (for example) a power interruption.
Is the cloud the right place for your work? If you can fit your work easily into the HPC batch submission work flow and environment (see What is a scheduler?) it is likely a better solution, as there are more resources available for HPC. It is also possible to use tools like Singularity to run custom software stacks inside containers within Compute Canada HPC clusters.
Using the Cloud
- If you are new to the cloud see our cloud quick start guide, which walks you through creating your first VM.
- If you have already created your first VM the next step may be to:
- learn about using the Linux command line in your VM
- learn about security considerations when running a VM
- learn more about working with OpenStack
- setup a data or web server
- use an available pre-made cloud configuration
- If you already have your VM configured you may wish to learn about
Cloud systems
The details of the underlying hardware and Openstack versions are described on the cloud resources page. The system status page contains information about the current cloud status and future planned maintenance and upgrade activities.
Support
For questions about the Compute Canada cloud service send an e-mail to cloud@computecanada.ca