DEMAC: A Platform for Education in High-performance Computing, Bridging the Gap Between Users and Hardware

Scientists, engineers, and researchers leverage high-performance computing (HPC) systems to perform complex computations and process large amounts of data. Designing, developing, and operating HPC systems have a steep learning curve, thus making it crucial to train a highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce in order to keep up with the rapidly evolving field, drive innovation, and meet the increasing demand for HPC across various sectors. Limited access to HPC educational resources is the main deterrent to training HPC talent. This paper addresses two primary culprits for the limited access: the high cost of production systems and the lack of realistic full-stack HPC training. Cutting-edge hardware is usually expensive and requires specialized facilities. Moreover, large HPC facilities typically discourage experimenting with the systems since they run production computation workloads and require minimal disturbance. Furthermore, HPC training often does not reflect the scale or complexity of production systems. This lack of realistic training support makes education in this area particularly difficult and ineffective. This paper proposes an educational framework for HPC that includes the development of a low-cost and flexible platform design for users in diverse fields. It allows study and experimentation with multiple realistic elements involved in a production HPC ecosystem. DEMAC, the Delaware Modular Assembly Cluster, is a set of 3D-printable frames designed to house embedded systems and auxiliary systems in a way that emulates HPC platforms. The teaching framework focuses on practical training as an education model in which learners reinforce theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience. If successful, this effort will contribute fundamentally to scientific research, technological advancements, HPC workforce development, and economic growth.