Codes and Testing
Additional Code/Application Installs
Aspen will install up to two (2) additional commercial or open source applications or codes on your cluster free of charge. If the application is commercially licensed, we will require you to provide the licenses and installation packages, or have the application included in your quote so that we may purchase and install it for you. The applications must be supported on your selected distribution or O.S..
We will install additional applications for you, subject to additional charges. Contact your sales engineer to discuss pricing and options. If you choose to have us install any additional applications, we will require you to perform Remote System Testing to ensure that the application(s) is/are installed and functioning correctly prior to shipping.
Remote System Testing
Aspen offers Remote System Testing for your convenience. We highly recommend that you take advantage of this capability.
Aspens experienced engineers at work
After our build, unit, quality assurance, and system(s) testing phases are complete, your system(s) can be connected to a special network that will allow SSH, HTTP, and HTTPS access from the Internet. We will provide a host name for you to use to connect to your system(s), and you can use your Aspen Support Account (ASA) login (or the root password we will provide you via phone) to ssh to your system(s) on our production floor.
This allows you to build and run your code on your cluster before it ever ships. If you have problems, appropriate Aspen engineering resources can then be used to help configure, build, test, tune, or run your code as necessary. This way, your cluster is often ready to go when it is delivered. All you have to do is unpack it, connect power and network, login, and begin computing!
Another major advantage to our remote testing approach is the capability to change software and hardware configurations before you recieve the final product. Customers often don't know all their configuration parameters or requirements in advance, and we understand that. Running the codes at our facility prior to shipping will allow us to adjust your cluster environment as necessary to get the best performance, and also familiarize you with your new purchase and how best to operate it.
Standard Build Selection Option
Like most HPC vendors, Aspen offers a standardized build and package selection that follows HPC best practices. However, unlike some other HPC vendors, we also offer you the opportunity to configure your cluster hardware and software the way you want it, with options and capabilities tuned to your needs and your environment.
If you wish a standardized software image that is configured with all recommended options, Aspen can configure your system using best practices outlined in the Detailed Buyers Reference and this Configuration Guide. To select an Aspen standard build for your system(s), determine your hardware configuration with your sales engineer, then fill out your Statement of Work with
- your distribution selection
- any additional applications you require,
- your remote systems testing choice,
- check the “standard build” selection and submit the SOW.
Aspen will configure your system with a software environment that supports your application(s) well and provide long and trouble free service. Many customers value our standard cluster configuration to serve their HPC computing needs, and purchase that option from us again and again.
