BeeGFS: Fast Shared Scratch
We're pleased to announce the availability of a new fast shared scratch using the parallel distributed file system BeeGFS on our bee.cerit-sc.cz cluster. This new resource, available as scratch_shared, is specifically designed for high-performance computing (HPC) needs and offers several advantages for data-intensive and compute-intensive applications.
Why Use BeeGFS in MetaCentrum?
BeeGFS is ideal for demanding jobs that require:
- Working with large files or a huge number of small files – efficiently handle massive datasets, making it an ideal choice for applications that require fast and scalable storage.
- Utilizing many threads or processes that read or write in parallel – enables high-performance and concurrent access to data, making it perfect for applications that require simultaneous reads and writes.
- Spanning multiple compute nodes – can handle workloads that span multiple compute nodes, allowing for seamless scalability and performance.
- Sequential computations with intermediate results – well-suited for workflows where subsequent computations can pick up intermediate results left in the scratch directory, eliminating the need to copy data to permanent storage or run on the same machine as the previous step.
Typical Use Cases:
- High-Performance Computing (HPC) – BeeGFS is designed to efficiently handle large files and parallel input/output operations, making it an ideal choice for scientific computing workloads.
- Machine Learning and AI – With BeeGFS, you can train machine learning models faster by accessing large volumes of data with high-throughput and low-latency.
- Simulations, Rendering, Genomics, and Big Data Research – BeeGFS is perfect for handling massive datasets, such as those found in 3D rendering, complex simulations, genomic sequencing, and big data research.
More Information:
Ivana Křenková, Fri Aug 08 23:50:00 CEST 2025
