RHIT Math Department Computing - Linux Computing Facilities Overview

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Theorodrome and Linux based computing facilities

The Theorodrome (G220) is the mathematics department's Advanced Computing Applications Laboratory and Classroom (ACALC). It combines a well appointed laptop classroom with 10 Linux/Windows HP workstations placed around the periphery of the classroom. We attempt to use the room for both classes that make use of the computational power and software of the workstations and the rest of the time as an open lab and project room. During the summer it houses the department's undergraduate research program NSF-REU.

In addition the department has two remote compute servers. These servers are used for long or large computations and specialized Statistical and Operations Research software. They are accessible from the Theorodrome or any laptop or desktop on campus.

The lab/classroom is available during the day for class or open lab and in the evenings for open lab.

The Theorodrome is part of the institute-wide Linux computing infrastructure. The other main Linux facilities on campus are the Linux based mathematics compute servers described above, the Computer Science and Software Engineering Computing Facilities, and the RHIT cluster computer. The Computer Science computing network are primarily two open labs supporting Computer Science course work and computer intensive project work. The cluster computer is shared among the academic departments and became available in the Fall of 2001.

With a few exceptions the all these locations support the same Linux software. It is also possible to run programs remotely on these computers through an SSH session or run an X-windows session from a laptop or desktop PC. Students and faculty have accounts in the Theorodrome through the AFS file and account system.

Information on using the computing facilities in the Theorodrome is given on the Theorodrome howto sheet and information on using the servers is given on the servers howto sheet.

Theorodrome and Remote Servers - Features

Lab and Server Features The Theorodrome contains ten HP workstations, with 24 inch LCD monitors. All campus computing facilities are locally interconnected connected by 100 megabit (or greater) subnets connected to a 1-gigabit (or greater) backbone. In addition there are three remote compute servers. Here are configurations of the public workstations and servers:

Workstations

• larry, moe, curly CUDA enabled desktop workstations: Intel Core i7-860 2.8 GHz CPU (8 cores), Tesla C1060 GPU (240 cores), 8 Gb RAM, 1 320 Gb HD + 2x 1 Tb HDHP
• jerry, dean, lou, bud, stan, oliver desktop workstations: HP dc5750, AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4800+CPU. 2Gb RAM, 160 Gb SATA HD, Quadro NVS 290 graphics adapter.

Servers

• clive CUDA enabled rackmount compute server: 2 Intel Xeon 2.26 GHz (4 cores each), 2 Tesla M1060 GPU (240 cores each), 24 Gb RAM, 320 Gb HD + 2X1 Tb HD
• derek a virtual machine on the Math/CSSE ESX server system.. Derek is configured to access a 64 bit CPU and 32G of RAM.
• dayhoff rackmount server for  the computational biochemistry group  4x AMD Opteron 6172 2.1 GHz 12-core CPU (48 cores total), 32 Gb memory, 1 320 Gb HD + 2x1 Tb HD

Software Many types of software are supported in the Theorodrome, most of which can be run on the compute servers clive and derek. A small list is given below.

• Mathematics software: Maple, Matlab, Magma, Mathematica, Cplex, AMPL, SAS, GAP, Sage, Macaulay.
• Typsetting Software: TeX, LaTeX, and LaTeX2HTML 
• Graphics Software: OpenGL
• Compilers and Development: GNU Utilities including C and C++, Java development kit, Perl

In addition the server clive and the workstations larry, moe and curly have jacket software which allows Matlab to take advantage the M1060 tesla cards.

Laptop Classroom Features The Theorodrome has the standard features of the better laptop classrooms at Rose. The arrangement of tables and rolling chairs make it easy to do group work and project work in class and during open lab. The power and network setup allow students to use both their laptops and the Sun computers. The overhead projector is great for giving and rehearsing presentations.

Math Computing History and Culture

The room G220 and the adjacent G222 has been a constant feature of the mathematics department's computing effort since 1986. Here are some of the important phases of development

• 1988-89 - ILI grant to teach Calculus and DE using VaxStations 2000 workstations in G220 and G222. Laboratory originally called SYMLAB - symbolic mathematics laboratory.
• 1990-92 - ILI grant to teach IFYCSEM, Calculus and DE - conversion to NeXT platform. (G220 and G222)
• 1992-96 - ILI grant to develop "DISCO", using DECStations. G220 is named the Theorodrome (arena for theorem discovery).
• 1996-99 - Conversion to laptop classrooms and to SUN platform. All classrooms in Crapo Hall are converted to laptop classrooms and G220 to a lab/classroom. Internal funding sources from Facilities, Academic Affairs, Computing Center, and Math Department.
• 1999-2005 - Continuing upgrade of computing equipment, network infrastructure, and projection facilities throughout Crapo Hall. Internal funding sources from Academic Affairs, Computing Center, and Math Department.
• 2001 Companion RHIT computing cluster purchased and installed. Internal funding sources from Academic Affairs, Computing Center and Math Department.
• 2003 Mike Mcleish hired as joint systems administrator for Math and CSSE
• 2004-2006 Begin and complete migration from Solaris to Linux-XP dual OS - funding from Academic Affairs and Mathematics
• 2007 Mouck joins Math/CSSE systems administration team
• 2010 add dayhoff, migrate derek to ESX virtual machine, upgrade clive to CUDA server, upgrade larry, moe, curly to CUDA workstations, upgrade remaining machines to dc5750

Culture When possible the machines are the first names of comics, usually from a comedy team.