PNNL

Abstract

Abstract: Real-time computing has traditionally been considered largely in the context of single-processor and embedded systems, and indeed, the terms real-time computing, embedded systems, and control systems are often mentioned in closely related contexts. However, real-time computing in the context of multinode systems, specifically high-performance, cluster-computing systems, remains relatively unexplored, largely due to the fact that until now, there has not been a need for such an environment. In this paper, we motivate the need for a cluster computing infrastructure capable of supporting computation over large datasets in real-time. Our motivating example is an analytical framework to support the next generation North American power grid, which is growing both in size and complexity. With streaming sensor data in the future power grid potentially reaching rates on the order of terabytes per day, the task of analyzing this data subject to real-time guarantees becomes a daunting task which will require the power of high-performance cluster computing capable of functioning under real-time constraints. One specific challenge that such an environment presents is the need for real-time networked communication between cluster nodes. In this paper, we discuss the need for real-time high-performance cluster computation, along with our work-in-progress towards an infrastructure which will ultimately enable such an environment.