What is High Performance Cluster System, Head Node, Master Node, Compute Node ?

What is High Performance Cluster System (HPC)

What is Head Node, Master Node, Compute Node ?

'High performance computer (HPC)' / system are set of multiple CPUs/ server and other hardware resources connected through high speed Ethernet/Infini Band interconnect network together head/master and compute nodes to perform specific task. High performance cluster increase computing performance exponentially by sharing computing workload. 

'High performance computer (HPC)' allows research scholars,  scientists and engineers to solve complex science, engineering problems using application software that require high bandwidth, low latency network, and very high speed compute capabilities. a normal computer normal computer with 03 GHz processor can calculate 03 billion calculation per second as compare to HPC cluster can perform quadrillion of calculation per second. 

What is 'Head Node/Master Node':- 'High performance computer (HPC)' Contain a 'Master Node' and other multiple set of servers on rack called 'Compute Nodes', master node or head node is a kind of manager of 'HPC' system scenario which manages all the hardware,  software other storage resources connected to High performance computer (HPC) master node such as memory, storage, licences software etc. 

In 'High performance computer (HPC)' scenario master node is responsible to receive computational jobs submitted by users and transfer it to any FREE compute nodes using resource manager program (PBS Portable Batch System, TORQUE, SLURM)  to submit computational jobs through job script to perform actual computing operations.  

Click here to know more about job scheduler. 

More about 'High performance computing' :-  HPC is a practice of aggregating computing power in a way that it delivers much higher performance than one may get out of a normal desktop computer or workstation in order to solve large scientific, engineering design, virtual reality military training, gaming and weather forecasting related problems. 'High performance computer (HPCs)' are also very helpful in research modelling, simulating and analysis.'High performance computer (HPC)' perform large number of operation per seconds so it completes time-consuming operating in less time.   

There are different categories of clusters for specific purpose.

'High Performance Cluster (HPC)' - For the purpose of concurrent calculations computational cluster or grid computing.

Storage Cluster - Storage Cluster provides a consistent file system, allow simultaneous read and write operations to a single shared file system. For example PFS, GPFS etc.

Load Balancing Cluster – It sends network service request to multiple clusters nodes to balance the requested load among the cluster nodes.

High Availability Cluster - It provides continuous availability of services by eliminating single point of failure.  

Parallel Processing: - Execution of program simultaneously on different processors attached to the same computer. Parallel processing divide algorithm and software program into small independent parts and execute simultaneously by separate processors.