Owned and operated by Swedish systems integrator Gridcore AB, Gompute on Demand delivers high-performance computing (HPC) resources on demand for technical and scientific users. The company offers support for most of the commercial and free applications used to simulate fluid dynamics, stress analysis, computational chemistry and visualization. Gompute also provides specialized training for its users, enabling them to get maximum benefit from the HPC resources available.

1. Case Study
IBM Systems and Technology Group Computer Services
Owned and operated by Swedish systems integrator Gridcore AB,
Gompute on Demand delivers high-performance computing (HPC)
resources on demand for technical and scientific users. The company
offers support for most of the commercial and free applications used
to simulate fluid dynamics, stress analysis, computational chemistry
and visualization. Gompute also provides specialized training for its
users, enabling them to get maximum benefit from the HPC resources
available.
Demands of running complex simulations
Gompute’s clients include companies that are pushing the boundaries
of technology, modeling fluid dynamics and material stress. These
simulations are designed to help enhance the durability and
functionality of consumer, medical and industrial products, for
example. Research and development teams need to be able to run
complex simulations involving huge amounts of data, which call on
large quantities of computational power. Obtaining more accurate
results from these simulations in shorter spans of time helps Gompute’s
clients to stay ahead of their competitors. To attract new customers and
retain existing ones, Gompute continually strives to find ways to boost
performance. The challenge for Gompute was to find a computing
platform that could fulfill these expectations for greater performance
while keeping costs low.
The company’s customers are provided with a comprehensive HPC
environment including 3D remote visualization. This enables the
easy use of a wide range of open-source and commercial applications
provided on ready-to-use high-performance computing resources,
accessible either via a web interface or a thin client.
Selecting IBM System x iDataPlex
Working closely with IBM, Gompute implemented four IBM System
x iDataPlex racks, each with 84 IBM System x iDataPlex dx360 M3
servers, for a total of 336 computational nodes running the SUSE
Linux Enterprise Server operating system. Powered by a total of 4,032
of the latest Intel Xeon Processor 5600 series cores, the solution offers
outstanding performance in a uniquely compact design. For a HPC
services provider this is ideal, enabling Gompute to enjoy the benefits
Gompute harnesses
sophisticated IBM high
performance computing
Driving complex simulations within the cloud
Overview
Business challenge
Gompute provides high-performance
computing services for a remarkable
range of customers, who run complex
and workload-intensive simulations
involving huge amounts of data. To
attract new customers and retain existing
ones, Gompute continually strives to find
ways to boost performance, which helps
customers to stay ahead of competitors
with faster, more detailed simulations,
while keeping costs low.
Solution
Gompute created a cluster based on
336 IBM®
System x®
iDataPlex®
dx360
M3 nodes, with IBM Rear Door Heat
eXchanger water cooling and Qlogic
True Scale QDR Infiniband switches
and Interconnect to deliver huge
computational power to its clients. IBM
General Parallel File System (GPFS™
) is
used to ensure high-speed access to the
large amount of data Gompute’s clients
need to drive their simulations.

2. Case Study
IBM Systems and Technology Group Computer Services
of accelerated processing packed into the same power and cooling
envelope as traditional servers. The innovative, half-depth form-factor
of the IBM System x iDataPlex dx360 M3 reduces the airflow required
across the components, lowering the required power and cost of
cooling.
The IBM System x iDataPlex was also fitted with a liquid-cooled IBM
Rear Door Heat eXchanger, offering a cost-efficient, quieter alternative
to fans. In addition, its design helps maximize the usable storage space
in Gompute’s datacenter, enabling the company to deploy higher
rack power servers while avoiding the cost of renovating or moving
datacenter. TrueScale Qlogic QDR Infiniband switches provide high-
speed, low-latency connections.
Building a high-speed storage area network
Gompute created a storage area network (SAN) based on IBM System
Storage DS3524 Express storage systems. The SAN is managed
using IBM General Parallel File System (GPFS), a high-performance
enterprise file management tool which helps guarantee Gompute’s
clients high-speed access to the large amounts of data they require to
drive their simulations. IBM GPFS removes all practical limits on the
size of data sets and storage that can be managed. Gompute is handling
very large data sets – with some currently as big as 400 GB – and the
company’s total storage pool continues to grow. With IBM GPFS,
Gompute is simply able to plug in new hardware without the need to
re-configure its entire file system.
Engaging IBM Global Financing enables Gompute to acquire the new
infrastructure and enjoy the benefits of the new solution while reducing
risk to the business.
Enjoying the benefits
Before implementing the IBM System x iDataPlex, the power usage
effectiveness (PUE) rating of the datacenter was 1.6, meaning that for
every watt consumed by the computing resources, a further 0.6 watt
was required for cooling. Gompute believes that the in-built energy
efficiency features of the IBM System x iDataPlex along with the
innovative water-cooling from the IBM Rear Door Heat eXchanger can
be expected to drive this figure down to an impressive 1.2. Gompute
can pass on these savings to clients, helping the company stay highly
competitive in the HPC services sector. With many clients setting the
company targets for energy efficiency, meeting these expectations will
be easier than ever, helping to increase client retention.
The IBM solution provides the greater computational power that
Gompute’s clients require to drive increasingly complex and workload-
intensive simulations, helping to uncover new insights, sooner. For
example, for some simulations involving the reading and writing
of large files, Gompute can offer clients a 50 percent increase in
performance with the new solution. The rock-solid resiliency of
Business Benefits
• Expected to improve Gompute’s power
usage effectiveness in relation to cooling
its datacenter by 25 percent.
• Tens of terabytes of data can quickly
and easily be integrated into clients’
simulations, delivering more accurate
conclusions up to 50 percent faster than
before.

3. Case Study
IBM Systems and Technology Group Computer Services
the IBM System x iDataPlex and IBM System Storage technologies
ensures that service level agreements are met and Gompute retains its
reputation for reliable HPC services.
The high flexibility of the IBM solution made it the ideal platform
for Gompute to deploy its proprietary software stack to dynamically
allocate resources to clients as and when they need it. Along with IBM
GPFS, Gompute can use this software to ensure clients are charged on
a pay-as-you-use basis, a key differentiator in the HPC services market.
Moreover, the exceptional scalability of the IBM System x iDataPlex
and IBM System Storage technologies means that as demand for
Gompute’s services grow, the company can easily scale up resources to
meet it.
For more information
To learn more about IBM System x, contact your IBM sales
representative or visit: ibm.com/systems/x
To learn more about products, services and solutions from Gompute,
visit: www.gompute.com
Solution Components
Software
• IBM®
General Parallel File System
(GPFS™
)
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
Hardware
• IBM System x®
iDataPlex®
dx360
• IBM System Storage®
DS3524 Express
Services
• IBM Global Financing

4. © Copyright IBM Corporation 2012
IBM Svenska AB
164 92 STOCKHOLM
Sverige
Produced in Sweden
April 2012
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