Glossary
A
AMD Opteron
The ProLiant DL series servers used in the CP4000 platform employ the AMD Opteron 32/64-bit
CPU.
API
Application program interface.
B
BIOS
Basic Input/Output System.
C
Cluster
A set of servers joined together using various interconnect technologies to form a supercomputer.
Command-Line
Interface (CLI)
Administrators can use the CLI to automate job, job queue, and node operations. These
operations can also be scripted.
Component
Any discrete device that is used to build the cluster, such as a server, network switch or
high-speed interconnect.
Compute node
A server that runs end-user programs. A bundle of compute nodes requires one head node.
D
DHCP
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.
E
Ethernet switch
A device that connects the nodes into the administration networks. These networks facilitate
management traffic between nodes and are used to perform functions such as booting.
External network
The customer's local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), to which the cluster
can be connected through its internal administrative network.
F
Factory
integration
A method of assembling cluster components into modules and temporarily connecting the
modules to form a running, testable cluster. The cluster is partially disassembled into its modules
for shipping.
Fat tree
A network topology used by the interconnect. The topology is characterized by a link capacity
that is progressively larger closest to the root of the tree than it is at the leaves, making the
network non-blocking.
Federated cluster
A cluster with more than 128 nodes, requiring interconnects that are organized into a node-level
and top-level hierarchy to increase the number of links.
Flat tree
A network topology consisting of a single root device with several individual connections to
multiple branch devices. The cluster's internal networks are organized as a flat tree.
G
Gigabit Ethernet
An interconnect protocol and connection type supported by the hardware that is based on HP
ProCurve and Myricom Myrinet technologies.
H
Head node
A server that provides management functions and user interface for the cluster. One head node
exists in the cluster.
Host Channel
Adapter (HCA)
PCI interconnect card used in InfiniBand configurations.
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