Using Pilot Jobs and CernVM File System for Simplified Use of Containers and Software Distribution
Namratha Urs, Marco Mambelli, Dave Dykstra · 2021
High Energy Physics (HEP) experiments entail an abundance of computing resources, i.e. sites, to run simulations and analyses by processing data. This requirement is fulfilled by local batch farms, grid sites, private/commercial clouds, and supercomputing centers via High Throughput Computing (HTC). The growing needs of such experiments and resources being prone to trends of heterogeneity make it difficult for physicists to handle these resources directly. Additionally, HEP collaborations heavily rely on data and software releases, typically in the order of tens of gigabytes, while conducting simulations and analyses. Hence, aspects of scalability, reliability, and maintenance become crucial with regards to the distribution of the necessary data and software stack.