Maximizing processor utilization and minimizing network bandwidth requirements in throughput compute clusters

摘要

Exemplary methods and apparatus for improving speed, scalability, robustness and dynamism of data transfers and workload distribution to remote computers are provided. Computing applications, such as Genomics, Proteomics, Seismic, Risk Management require a priori or on-demand transfer of sets of files or other data to remote computers prior to processing taking place. The fully distributed data transfer and data replication protocol of the present invention permits transfers which minimize processing requirements on master transfer nodes by spreading work across the network and automatically synchronizing the enabling and disabling of job dispatch functions with workload distribution mechanisms to enable/disable job dispatch activities resulting in higher scalability than current methods, more dynamism and allowing fault-tolerance by distribution of functionality. Data transfers occur asynchronously to job distribution allowing full utilization of remote system resources to receive data for job queues while processing jobs for previously transferred data. Processor utilization is further increased as file accesses are local to systems and bear no additional network latencies that reduce processing efficiency.