// Explore/ADAPT Science Cloud

Explore Platform for Large Scale Data Analytics

The Explore Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a managed virtual machine (VM) environment that provides services specifically designed for large-scale data analytics. Also known as ADAPT (Advanced Data Analytics PlaTform), it incorporates storage, compute, container, and cloud computing capabilities.

The architecture features over 300 physical hypervisors that host one or more Virtual Machines each. These VMs have access to multiple shared, centralized data repositories. For user convenience, shared home and $NOBACKUP directories are mounted on all VMs. The Explore PaaS/ADAPT environment assumes an embarrassingly parallel workflow, meaning VMs work autonomously, requiring little or no communication with other VMs (MPI type jobs are better suited for Discover). The goal of the platform is to provide a 'local' type user experience using virtual resources.

Explore PaaS/ADAPT incorporates several recent innovations from the IT community, many of which have been researched within the NCCS. These technologies include virtualized high-speed ethernet networks, a high-performance file system and object storage environment, application modules, container runtimes and virtual systems—all deployed in a cyberinfrastructure specifically designed for data-intensive science applications.

Explore Infrastructure as a Service

The Explore Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) aims to provide affordable cloud computing to NASA Goddard using on-site resources and expertise from the experience of NCCS and ITCD, using resources shared with the NCCS data analytics cloud (formerly known as ADAPT). Explore is a replacement for the Goddard Private Cloud (GPC). The Explore cloud offers fully composable infrastructure for system allocation and deployment.

The applicability of Explore IaaS to users varies starkly. There are users who simply needed flexible computing. There are other users with long-term visions who want cloud computing, but also want to start in an environment with support to port existing codes or other compute scenarios. Use cases vary from web and data hosting, collaboration environment, to number crunching and analytics.

// System Specifications


Dataset Repository

 

Access to Shared-Datasets:

ABoVE
DigitalGlobe (NGA)
Landsat
MERRA/MERRA2
MODIS, etc.


Customizable Virtual Environment

 

Customizable VMs:

60 Cores (Max)
480GB Memory (Max)
Operating System
Application Software

The NCCS Team will work with users if specific solutions are required.


Application Support

 

Supports multiple applications:

ArcGIS
Data Analytics
Embarrassingly Parallel
Image Processing
Monte Carlo Simulations


// Using Explore PaaS/ADAPT and Explore IaaS 

Everything you need to know about how to work with Explore and ADAPT:

  • Best practices
  • Tools
  • Operating Systems
  • Datasets
  • User FAQ’s
  • Instructionals

Explore Paas/ADAPT     Explore IaaS

Check Usage on ADAPT (Linux)

GANGLIA


// Awards 

ADAPT was awarded HPCWire’s Reader’s Choice award 2 years in a row.

HPCWire Reader’s Choice Award 2015

A team from the NASA Center for Climate Simulation, Cycle Computing, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Intel Corp. received…
READ MORE

HPCWire Reader’s Choice Award 2016

A private cloud supporting NASA Earth scientists has won a 2016 HPCwire Readers’ Choice Award at the international SC16 …
READ MORE


Each project's computational requirements are unique. Explore our case studies to see how the NCCS is innovating tailor-made solutions for NASA projects.

 

CASE STUDIES

// Account Information 


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