North Dakota State University

What is the CCAST?
Where is the CCAST located?
Who can use the CCAST?
What does it offer?
Who is working in the CCAST?
What departments are currently related with the CCAST?
What is the CCAST's history and future plans?
Where can I find documentation for a CCAST User Guide?
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CCAST stands for the Center for High Performance Computing at North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND. The CCAST is a facility built for campus researchers who need high performance computing resources in order to further their research.

The CCAST is located on the second floor of Research 1 building, 1735 NDSU Research Park Drive, Fargo, ND 58105-5756. As the CCAST grows (with additional funding), expansion will take place at the Research 2 building. 

Prospective CCAST users must apply for an account. To be approved the applicant must be:

• an NDSU faculty or staff member;
• a leading participant in a scientific project requiring advanced computing services; or 
• a student sponsored by one of the above for the purpose of working on a project. Students will be given access for one year. Their access may be renewed by his/her sponsor at that time. 

The CCAST has 96-node/192 processor distributed-memory Cluster, SGI Altix 3300 shared-memory Server, and a Oracle Server.

96-node/192 processor distributed-memory Cluster:   

• Dual 3.06 Ghz Xeon-HT processors
• 56 nodes = 1 gigabyte RAM, 8 nodes = 6 gigabytes RAM, 
   32 nodes = 2 gigabytes RAM
• 3.84 terabytes aggregate distributed storage
• Fast Ethernet and Myrinet interconnects
• Portland Group optimizing C, C⁺⁺ and FORTRAN compilers 
• TCP/IP and Myrinet based MPICH, TCP/IP based LAM-MPI
• Schrödinger Molecular Simulation Software 
• RedHat 9.0 Operating system
• MARC/MENTAT Finite Element Analysis Software
• Gaussian03 
• SLURM (resource management and scheduling software)
• GAMESS Electronic Structure Simulation Software
• NAMD Molecular Dynamics Software
• R Statistical Simulation Software
• Maya 3D Rendering Software
• LS-DYNA Finite Element Analysis Software

 SGI Altix 3300 shared-memory Server: 

• 12 processors (1.6 Ghz Itanium-II processors)
• 48 GB RAM
• RedHat 7.2 Operating system 
• Intel developed EPIC/VLIW optimized C, C⁺⁺ and FORTRAN compilers
• Intel Tuning and Performance tools 
• SGI PRO-PACK support software
• MPI
• MARC/MENTAT Finite Element Analysis Software
• GUASSIAN03/GaussView/TCP Linda
• FEMLAB Finite Element Analysis Software
• GAMESS Electronic Structure Simulation Software
• Accelrys Materials Studio Simulation Software
• R Statistical Simulation Software
• Other Open Source Software (NEdit, Gnuplot)

Oracle Server:    

• Oracle Database Enterprise Edition Release 2 (license for unlimited users)
• Database set-up and administration assistance available

• Director: Martin Ossowski
• Business Manager: Becky Hellman
• HPC Manager: Hideaki Kikuchi
• Support Assistant: Pasindu Kukule Withanage

As of January 2006, 92 individuals are enrolled performing work for about 35 projects. These individuals are from such departments as:

•  Animal Science 
•  Biochemistry 
•  Chemistry 
•  Civil Engineering 
•  Computer Science 
•  Mechanical Engineering 
•  Pharmacy 
•  Physics 
•  Plant Sciences 
•  Sociology & Anthropology 
•  Polymers & Coatings 
•  Center for Nanoscale Science & Engineering 

• The CCAST got its first round of funding in May 2003 from the U.S. General Services Administration (through September 2005). Future funding opportunities are currently being investigated. 
• On Nov. 3, 2003, the CCAST was live for users to begin utilizing its resources.
• Nine prominent faculty users currently comprise an Advisory Council intended to develop and approve policies to govern the use of the CCAST. Basic policies are in place, with more to be established in the near future. 

 See the CCAST User Guide

 Please do not hesitate to contact us.