OCF Supports Scientific Research at the Atomic Weapons Establishment

April 24, 2017

LONDON, April 24, 2017 — High Performance Computing (HPC) storage and data analytics integrator, OCF, is supporting scientific research at the UK Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), with the design, testing and implementation of a new HPC, cluster and separate big data storage system.

AWE has been synonymous with science, engineering and technology excellence in support of the UK’s nuclear deterrent for more than 60 years. AWE, working to the required Ministry of Defence programme, provides and maintains warheads for the Trident nuclear deterrent.

The new HPC system is built on IBM’s POWER8 architecture and a separate parallel file system, called Cedar 3, built on IBM Spectrum Scale. In early benchmark testing, Cedar 3 is operating 10 times faster than the previous high-performance storage system at AWE. Both server and storage systems use IBM Spectrum Protect for data backup and recovery.

“Our work to maintain and support the Trident missile system is undertaken without actual nuclear testing, which has been the case ever since the UK became a signatory to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT); this creates extraordinary scientific and technical challenges – something we’re tackling head on with OCF,” comments Paul Tomlinson, HPC Operations at AWE. “We rely on cutting-edge science and computational methodologies to verify the safety and effectiveness of the warhead stockpile without conducting live testing. The new HPC system will be vital in this ongoing research.”

From the initial design and concept to manufacture and assembly, AWE works across the entire life cycle of warheads through the in-service support to decommissioning and disposal, ensuring the maximum safety and protecting national security at all times.

The central data storage, Cedar 3, will be in use for scientists across the AWE campus, with data replicated across the site.

“The work of AWE is of national importance and so its team of scientists need complete faith and trust in the HPC and big data systems in use behind the scenes, and the people deploying the technology,” says Julian Fielden, managing director, OCF. “Through our partnership with IBM, and the people, skills and expertise of our own team, we have been able to deliver a system which will enable AWE maintain its vital research,”

The new HPC system runs on a suite of IBM POWER8 processor-based Power systems servers running the IBM AIX V7.1 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system. The HPC platform consists of IBM Power E880, IBM Power S824L, IBM Power S812L and IBM Power S822 servers to provide ample processing capability to support all of AWE’s computational needs and an IBM tape library device to back up computation data.

Cedar 3, AWE’s parallel file system storage, is an IBM Storwize storage system. IBM Spectrum Scale is in use to enable AWE to more easily manage data access amongst multiple servers.

About the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE)

The Atomic Weapons Establishment has been central to the defence of the United Kingdom for more than 60 years through its provision and maintenance of the warheads for the country’s nuclear deterrent. This encompasses the initial concept, assessment and design of the nuclear warheads, through component manufacture and assembly, in-service support, decommissioning and then disposal.

Around 4,500 staff are employed at the AWE sites together with over 2,000 contractors. The workforce consists of scientists, engineers, technicians, crafts-people and safety specialists, as well as business and administrative experts – many of whom are leaders in their field. The AWE sites and facilities are government owned but the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a government-owned contractor-operated contract with AWE Management Limited (AWE ML) to manage the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the UK’s nuclear stockpile. AWE ML is formed of three shareholders – Lockheed Martin, Serco and Jacobs Engineering Group. For further information, visit: http://www.awe.co.uk

About OCF

OCF specialises in supporting the significant big data challenges of private and public UK organisations. Our in-house team and extensive partner network can design, integrate, manage or host the high performance compute, storage hardware and analytics software necessary for customers to extract value from their data. With a 14-year heritage in HPC, managing big data challenges, OCF now works with over 20 per cent of the UK’s Universities, Higher Education Institutes and Research Councils, as well as commercial clients from the automotive, aerospace, financial, manufacturing, media, oil & gas, pharmaceutical and utilities industries.


Source: OCF

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