CGG is convinced that it is on the cutting edge - not only of seismic processing but also on the deployment and management of high performance computing and networking. Oil IT Journal spoke to CGG’s Houston-based IT manager, Laurent Clerc to learn more about its growing seismic processing center and especially its next-generation Distributed Network File System (DNFS) development.
3000 CPU cluster
CGG currently deploys a 3000 CPU Dell-based cluster in Houston which connects to its multi-terabyte storage through a Brocade Fiber Channel Fabric switch. But the demands of round-the-clock seismic processing have stressed conventional NFS to breaking point. The dependence on a file serving computer creates an input-output bottleneck and a potential single point of failure.
ADIC Scalar 1000
This is where the next generation DNFS software from Advanced Digital Information Corporation (ADIC) comes in. CGG uses ADIC’s Scalar range of storage networking libraries to distribute the process of file I/O. Data paths no longer pass through the file server, but go straight from disk to CPU thanks to the intelligence built in to the 2 Gbps network.
6 month lead
Clerc believes CGG has about a six month lead on the competition - a long time in this fast moving area - and is looking to export its experience outside of seismic processing. Possible targets include major oil and gas corporations but also power users of high performance computing and visualization outside of oil and gas.
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