Lessons Learned from a Decade of Providing Interactive, On-Demand High Performance Computing to Scientists and Engineers

For decades, the use of HPC systems was limited to those in the physical sciences who had mastered their domain in conjunction with a deep understanding of HPC architectures and algorithms. During these same decades, consumer computing device advances produced tablets and smartphones that allow millions of children to interactively develop and share code projects across the globe. As the HPC community faces the challenges associated with guiding researchers from disciplines using high productivity interactive tools to effective use of HPC systems, it seems appropriate to revisit the assumptions surrounding the necessary skills required for access to large computational systems. For over a decade, MIT Lincoln Laboratory has been supporting interactive, on-demand high performance computing by seamlessly integrating familiar high productivity tools to provide users with an increased number of design turns, rapid prototyping capability, and faster time to insight. In this paper, we discuss the lessons learned while supporting interactive, on-demand high performance computing from the perspectives of the users and the team supporting the users and the system. Building on these lessons, we present an overview of current needs and the technical solutions we are building to lower the barrier to entry for new users from the humanities, social, and biological sciences.