More Server Power Improves Performance at the ARM Data Management Facility

 
Published: 15 November 2005

Recently, several new Sun servers joined the production system at the ARM Data Management Facility (DMF). These servers provide much needed cpu-the Central Processing Unit is the computing part of the computer known as the processor-power to handle the ever-increasing processing load. The DMF is responsible for collecting and processing hourly data from all three ARM sites (North Slope of Alaska, Southern Great Plains, and Tropical Western Pacific) each day. Processing involves the application of algorithms for performing simple averaging routines, qualitative comparisons, or more complicated experimental calculations.

The new servers use the most current operating system available, Solaris 10, which ensures maximum reliability and security. During September, the primary data ingesting and value-added product (VAP) processing services were migrated to the new systems with very noticeable, positive performance results. The previous systems experienced overloading problems on backlogged data; problems now resolved since upgrading to the new systems. In the coming months, old server systems will be retired, and processing software for the data systems will be recompiled and optimized for Solaris 10 and the new hardware.