Comment Multiple super-computers instead of a single one? (Score 1) 387
You need to specify additional information:
1) What about the data and storage? Many complex applications require vast amounts of data (e.g. climate change models, CFD models, GIS data sets that can complement or take advantage of modeling). Many end users may not be very adept at accessing these data.
2) What about the software? For example, CFD modeling software is very expensive. In some cases, open source software may not make the cut.
3) Does it have to be a single supercomputer? Why not split into multiple supercomputers and merge them as needed? That way, some groups have a more dedicated resource for themselves. The "biggest X ever" isn't as cool as it appears to be.
4) I presume the funds came in as a result of some proposal (using the word informally here, it could even be a one-pager that was sent to the university). The costs should be at least 5k per sever (based on what I've seen recently), so it's 6 million [I'd say 10 million even, unless my weak math is catching up with me]? So, that proposal would have some intended uses already.
5) Leasing it internally (to other groups in the university) may be reasonable -- it may even be a sweeter deal if you allocate a set of 10 or 20 servers for a group, instead of having it as part of a broader account access. You can tell them it is their "own machine".
I say this with no offense meant... I've noticed way too many people for whom the tool or technology seems to be the primary purpose (e.g. I do it using *EJB* or *distributed cluster* or *high availability database*). I spoke to someone that was working on app infrastructure for first responders, and was focusing on IDEs and integration, and his killer app was a download link to a weather channel app! When I mentioned that he needs some apps that really differentiate the system from others, his response was that we can run a contest for the apps. So, please avoid going that route -- in general, the tools are there to solve problems and not the other way round [with all caveats, sometimes the tools have to come first before we even realize what we had before that was very bad].
Well, congratulations on getting to play with 10M. I think I was rambling a bit, but the bottom line is: (a) don't make it one computer unless you can find a reason, and (b) approach different groups and offer the tool/service -- you need to do that till you get some traction.