Collaborative Research: SI2-SSE: UT Wrangler: Understanding the Software Needs of High End Computer Users

University Of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville TN

Investigators

Abstract

This research addresses two important questions: what software do researchers actually use on high-end computers, and how successful are they in their efforts to use it? It is a plan to improve our understanding of individual users' software needs, then leverage that understanding to help stakeholders conduct business in a more efficient, effective, and systematic way. The signature product, UTWrangler, builds on work that is already improving the user experience and enhancing support programs for thousands of users on twelve supercomputers across the United States and Europe. For the first time, complete, accurate, detailed, and continuous ground truth information about software needs, trends, and issues at the level of the individual job are being delivered. UTWrangler will instrument, monitor, and analyze individual jobs on high-end computers to generate a picture of the compilers, libraries, and other software that users need to run their jobs successfully. It will highlight the products our researchers need and do not need, and alert users and support staff to the root causes of software configuration issues as soon as the problems occur. UTWrangler's prototypes prove its value and future impact: simplifying end users' workflows; improving support, training and documentation; saving money; and helping administrators prioritize maintenance of their large base of installed software. UTWrangler will build on the capabilities of its prototypes, providing a robust, sustainable, second generation mechanism that will help the computational research community make the most effective use of limited computing cycles and labor hours. And UTWrangler will mitigate the difficulties new users encounter, reporting configuration problems as soon as jobs begin, and identifying opportunities to improve documentation, education and outreach programs.