What Can the MSU Data Machine Do for You?

The MSU Data Machine is a supercomputer with a low barrier to entry that is optimized for data-intensive research, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The compute resources are paired with training resources designed to help researchers and students get started with the high-performance computing center (HPCC) at MSU.

The MSU Data Machine can be tailored to the specific needs of a lab group or classroom. The Institute for Cyber-Enabled Research (ICER) would like to gauge interest and better understand the needs of users and potential users. If you are interested in the MSU Data Machine for your lab or classroom, please contact the director of ICER, Dr. Brian O’Shea (oshea@msu.edu (link sends e-mail)).

Dr. O’Shea, principal investigator for the Campus Cyberinfrastructure grant that enabled the MSU Data Machine, noted that the technical optimization of the MSU Data Machine is paired with a comprehensive outreach and training program to ensure access to researchers from fields that do not typically use high-performance computing in their workflow.

“The machine includes large amounts of memory to facilitate user-friendly data analysis, low latency solid-state storage that is optimized for working with small files and complex access patterns, and graphics processing units (GPUs) that are well-suited for ML and AI applications,” Dr. O’Shea stated. “We will ensure that this resource is maximally accessible to researchers and instructors through tools like Open OnDemand, which provides a graphical interface that is much easier to use than the standard command-line interface, modern cloud-informed system and user tools, and usage policies that promote interactive data analysis over a batch queue-based system.”

Learn more about the MSU Data Machine, read example use cases, and see technical specs by visiting ICER’s new wiki page: The Data Machine - MSU HPCC User Documentation