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PSSC Labs Cumulus Private Cloud Server Helps Companies Take Back Control (and Security) from the Cloud

By marketing@site-a.com

End of year capital expenditures provide an attractive opportunity for tax write offs that cloud services don’t qualify for

LAKE FOREST, Calif., Nov. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — PSSC Labs, a developer of custom HPC and big data computing solutions, has developed a complete private cloud solution that can be customized for enterprises to deliver the lowest total cost of ownership without compromising performance. The timing is perfect for companies looking to maximize their end of year tax write offs through capital expenditures, which cloud services like Amazon Web Services don’t qualify for.

The PSSC Labs Cumulus Private Cloud includes all the necessary compute, storage and networking resources packed into a solution that is ready to run on delivery. Cumulus Private Clouds offers support for leading cloud software platforms including Openstock, Mesos, Docker, Kubernetes, Joyent and Rancher and can be deployed in any custom configuration worldwide.

Today’s companies are often faced with the complex decision of whether to use public cloud resources or build and deploy their own IT infrastructure. For organizations in search of an enterprise solution with improved performance, scalability and cost efficiency, the Cumulus Private Cloud offers an array of attractive advantages including the ability to garner capital equipment tax write offs, something which can save money over using a public cloud.

“Cloud computing has become an increasingly popular choice for many organizations – though not always the right choice,” said Lawrence J. Lesser, founder and Chief Technology Officer for PSSC Labs. “In many ways, public cloud usage for services like AWS is considered the ‘easy button’ that hides many downsides and risks. IT departments should consider all options that factor in any hidden costs that the cloud presents.”

Cloud computing can present many drawbacks that often come back to haunt users, such as skyrocketing fees, poor performance and security concerns. The decision between using a public cloud versus owning your own infrastructure is not so different than deciding between renting and a buying a home.  It is a choice between controlling your own environment versus living within someone else’s domain.

“Because the Cumulus Private Cloud can be easily configured to the company’s precise requirements and to suit the deployment needs of any application, many IT departments are now choosing to forgo the public cloud option entirely,” said Lesser.

Cumulus Private Cloud’s advanced features include:

  • Customized to specific needs and budget. Customers can select from a range of processors, memory, OS storage and network bandwidth
  • Lowest TCO compared to other manufacturers
  • 2x the density
  • 35% lower power draw without compromising performance
  • Easily scale computer and storage capacity
  • Remote management interface
  • Network bandwidth options include 10GigE and 100GigE+ with 40GigE, 100GigE and Infiniband network connectivity possible
  • Compatible with leading virtualization platforms including VMWare, KVM and Citrix
  • Ideal platform for Docker containers and Rancher as well as data center OS’s including Mesos and Joyent.
  • Increased rack density saving significant space while optimizing network connectivity

Improved Performance

One of the biggest names in cloud computing is Amazon EC2. It alleges cost savings, using a “pay for what you use” pricing model, security, control, and greater flexibility for deployment. However, a lot of these promises don’t hold up. The virtual cores used in cloud computing can’t offer the same application performance level as real cores, and because Amazon’s servers have dispersed locations, its users often experience latency issues – the solution for which costs more money, according to PSSC Labs. For industries such as life sciences that have high computing demands, a private cloud is a better option.

Improved Security

For Amazon Web Services (AWS) users, security can be automatically affected by anything that happens to their cloud provider.  Anyone using a public or shared cloud can experience a data breach and information loss through no fault of their own. This potential security loophole makes public clouds a concern for enterprises running mission-critical applications with high-availability and compliance or regulatory requirements. Because private clouds are in-house solutions, the threat of another company accidentally gaining access to your data center by accident is eliminated entirely.

Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pssc-labs-cumulus-private-cloud-server-helps-companies-take-back-control-and-security-from-the-cloud-300555352.html

PSSC Labs Featured in Becker’s Hospital Review: Is cloud computing the best option to handle the life sciences data avalanche?

By marketing@site-a.com

While cloud services are becoming more sophisticated and customizable, they may fall short in handling the “data avalanche” that the life sciences industry is grappling with.

Data sets that are too large and complex for traditional data processing methods to handle are a sticky issue in the sciences, perhaps no more so than in the life sciences industry. From biotechnology to pharmaceuticals to medical device manufacturers, private-sector organizations and research institutions spend their days performing research and development tasks that produce terabytes of raw data gleaned from clinical results, disease states, scientific studies, and individual patient data.

This “data avalanche” must then be sorted, analyzed, and distilled into actionable information so that new medications, biomedical devices, and other products can be developed, refined, tested, and approved for sale as quickly as possible. Because of the gravity of the decisions that depend on this information — human lives are literally at stake – life sciences companies operate under some of the closest scrutiny and strictest regulations in the world.

To cope with the data avalanche and compete in an increasingly hypercompetitive global marketplace, many life sciences organizations are considering cloud computing solutions to increase their data processing power and storage capabilities. However, cloud solutions can often fall short in big data processing capabilities and result in cybersecurity issues, eye-popping monthly bills, and other problems.

Big Data = Big Cloud Bills
Cloud providers are quick to tout the alleged cost savings of using their services over purchasing in-house IT infrastructure. They claim that customers do not have to come up with large capital investments upfront and pay only for what they use, as they go. This works out well for some companies, particularly small start-up firms that are cash-poor and that aren’t dealing with very large data sets or highly complex computations.

However, cloud services such as AWS are notorious for sky-high monthly bills filled with hidden “gotchas,” especially for companies that require a lot of computing power. Deep Value, which develops complex research-driven trading algorithms, decided to run some numbers once their AWS bills began to exceed $70,000/month. In the end, they discovered that using AWS was 380% more expensive than purchasing their own high-performance computing equipment.

In addition to unexpected line items on their monthly invoice, cloud customers can also be hit hard by the indirect costs of performance problems and cyberattacks.

Cloud Performance May Not Be Up to Par
In the life sciences, the reliability and uptime of mission-critical systems are paramount, and a key marketing point of cloud services is the idea that customers don’t have to worry about maintaining their own equipment. Yet as cloud computing grows in popularity, cracks are appearing in its foundation. In February 2017, AWS suffered an outage that was so bad, it couldn’t get into its own systems to communicate with the throngs of customers that were knocked offline – all due to a misconfiguration on the part of an AWS employee.

The cloud doesn’t necessarily beat in-house infrastructure in the performance category, either, especially when processing enormous data sets. Cloud service providers typically run multiple servers in different locations, which can cause very serious latency issues when transferring large data sets and performing the highly complex calculations that life sciences companies run all day long.

The Dark Cloud of Cybersecurity Concerns
Over the past few months, an epidemic of AWS breaches impacted organizations large and small, including Verizon, the Republican National Committee, and a company called Talent Pen that processed job applications containing the personal information of thousands of Americans who held Top Secret security clearances. All of these breaches were due to the affected organizations (or their third-party vendors) not having configured their AWS security settings properly.

Cloud security settings can be very tricky, but even if an organization gets them right, they can still be hacked through no fault of their own. Because so much valuable data from so many different organizations is being migrated to the cloud, data centers have become highly attractive targets for hackers. Financial regulators and the tech industry are so concerned about the possibility of a major attack on AWS that in the wake of the February outage, they sounded the alarm over what they deem an over-reliance on the AWS service by the organizations that form the bedrock of American society, particularly financial companies.

The cloud security risk to life sciences organizations is three pronged: a cyberattack that brings down their cloud could leave them unable to operate; invaluable market research and digital intellectual property could be stolen by competitors or foreign governments; and a hack could mean running afoul of a myriad of government regulations and being hit with millions of dollars of fines and lawsuits.

In-House IT Infrastructure Means Optimum Customization & Control
Finally, cloud services suffer from customization and control issues. When using a cloud service, the ability to make changes is quite limited. Services such as AWS offer a menu of items that fit most organizations’ needs – unless those needs are highly specialized. Organizations that own their own computing equipment have complete control over their data environments and can act quickly to make adjustments or implement new features.

Rather than rushing to migrate to the cloud, certain life sciences organizations might be better served by investing in their own high-performance computing equipment to reduce their costs, improve their cyber security, and make the data avalanche work for them to accelerate innovation. Only a true comparison between the two can shed light on which option works best.

Source: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/is-cloud-computing-the-best-option-to-handle-the-life-sciences-data-avalanche.html

PSSC Labs Named a 10 Best Hadoop Solution Provider Companies to Watch

By marketing@site-a.com

Providers of custom turnkey platforms built specifically for Hadoop recognized in leading industry magazine

LAKE FOREST, Calif., Oct 18, 2017 /PRWEB/ — PSSC Labs, a developer of custom HPC and Big Data computing solutions, today announced it has been named to Insights Success Magazine’s 10 Best Hadoop Solution Provider Companies to Watch. Providing industry leading server platforms engineered specifically for Hadoop, PSSC Labs is a leader in providing turn-key solutions for enterprise Big Data needs.

Hadoop is a constantly evolving and expanding ecosystem that is disrupting the traditional storage and analytics platforms with more flexibility, speed, and reliability – creating an ideal, low cost, and scalable solution for today’s enterprise market. PSSC Labs’ exceptional record of offering the most powerful Hadoop solutions to its customers around the world has earned the company a place on this year’s Best Hadoop Solution Providers list. Editors at Insight Success Magazine analyze companies large and small to find the most unique and disruptive Hadoop solution providers on the market, choosing PSSC Labs as one of its standouts. To view the complete profile visit http://www.insightssuccess.com/pssc-labs-delivering-hand-crafted-hpc-extraordinary-big-data-computing-solutions/.

Designed for Hadoop

PSSC Labs has deployed over 100 petabytes of Hadoop infrastructure, including small POC clusters to production environments exceeding 10 PB. PSSC Labs’ CloudOOP Big Data Server Line is ideal for organizations looking for Hadoop solutions, and ideal for numerous industries including Ad Tech, Healthcare, Telecom, Media & Entertainment, and Cybersecurity. Designed specifically for Hadoop, Kafka, Big Data and edge computing with IOT devices and sensors, the CloudOOP line is engineered for faster data ingestion and processing.

Proven compatible with leading data platforms including Hortonworks, Cloudera and MapR, the line offers enterprises a platform that will significantly lower both capital expenditure and operating expenses while achieving higher data throughput performance. Utilizing PSSC Labs’ specialized server design and unique, customized solutions, the CloudOOP line delivers high performance, high density, flexibility and scalability while reducing overall footprint and power usage. Offering 2x the density, 35% reduction in power use and up to 50% increase in data throughput, the CloudOOP line allows companies to scale their infrastructure while reducing the need for additional network, rack and power components – reducing total cost of ownership.

All CloudOOP server configurations receive service and support from PSSC Labs’ US-based, expert in-house engineers. For more information and configuration options see https://www.site-a.com/servers/big-data-servers/

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/10/prweb14808617.htm

PSSC Labs Featured in IDG Connect: “Big Intelligence” is the real AI

By marketing@site-a.com

Everyone knows the scenario – after years of development and advancements, machines imbued with Artificial Intelligence somehow become self-aware without the knowledge of their human creators and end up destroying humanity as we know it. It’s a crazy premise, but if you listen to Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and other futurists, it’s a possibility.

Science fiction movies have a habit of predicting doom and destruction, but the truth is we don’t have to worry about this dystopian world where AI becomes something man cannot control. True, there could be unpredictable social consequence much like those brought about by the rise of social media. But in terms of actual takeover and destruction, the odds are slim to none. Rather than fretting about killer robots, it’s time to realise that the AI revolution is actually the proliferation of “Big Intelligence” and its future is much more benign. Big Intelligence is where we are today in terms of automation, robotics and computing – and it bears little similarity to the sentient machines most people think of when they hear AI. What’s more, fear of AI shouldn’t hinder the legitimately useful work Big Intelligence can help complete.

AI is Big Intelligence in disguise

Many companies like to tout the AI capabilities of their offerings, but much of the literature you’ll find is nothing more than marketing gimmick. The technology being commercialised or used in research is not really AI, but simply better programming and faster data crunching fueled by advancements in hardware. While futurists like to envision the all-knowing, self-aware machine, Artificial Intelligence or machine learning is not a substitute for human intelligence, and even the most advanced machines are far from substituting a human brain.

With the convergence of large datasets with faster computers and better code to process the data, Big Intelligence has progressed over the past decade due to real technology advancements that allow us to collect and process data at an ever increasing rate, and it’s what powers most AI platforms today. But the key here is not some technology that can replace human intelligence – rather, AI as it currently stands is a set of tools that merely help us better process, interpret, and understand the mass amounts of data companies gather from actual thinking humans. It can help businesses better predict their own and their customers’ needs, to better optimise and even conserve resources.

Hardware is critical to Big Intelligence

The only reason we are discussing the possibility of AI is due to recent advancements in computing performance. If the hardware could not process data in near real-time, things like self-driving cars, automated logistics centres, operating systems that are virtual and learn through association would still be figments of our imagination.  However, ultimately these so-called AI data still rely on constant data input from humans, without which they could not function.

Artificial Intelligence is a misnomer. Most of what we consider AI is really a high-performance computer (HPC) crunching a massive amount of data, which does not have intelligence the way a human brain does to conceptualise, reach its own conclusions and think for itself. What it can do is improve computing processes through automation, but the end result of most automated processes still requires human supervision.

Computers can now process data in real time, but all that processing power is useless if people feed the machine bad data from the get go or don’t know what to do with all that information and analysis once they have it. Cognitive solutions that leverage AI can provide explanations, recommendations, and inform what future actions or outcomes might be required via their predictive nature, but it’s still a human who is feeding the beast.  We are still the “intelligence” behind AI – the artificial part is being able to crunch data at a scale and time-span humans can’t achieve.

The promise of AI has been around a long time, but never went anywhere because hardware could not sustain that much data analysis. No one could capitalise on the concept. That is not the case today. Hardware has advanced to such a degree that for each new automation concept there is a company that builds the hardware necessary to realise the idea.  Super-fast multi-core processors or massive storage devices are tomorrow’s recycling candidate. Cloud computing, virtualisation, faster processors – all make up the core technology of what we call AI.

In addition, the amount of data companies now churn out is almost unfathomable. Almost everything we touch is sending data to someone from smartphones, to the internet, to online processes, to set-top boxes, and on and on. Technology is everywhere and every bit of it is a data source. At the convergence of all this Big Data and mock AI technology is nothing that resembles actual sentience – it’s simply Big Intelligence. And we’ll continue to see it improve as this convergence of better programming through High Power Computing and Big Data as companies traditional working with one or the other begin to bring the two together in ever more creative applications.

We are living in a truly exciting time of data and high-performance computing. We now have the ability to take advantage of data at scale and analyse that data in real time. But we shouldn’t let the misnomer of AI scare us away from this pursuit. Let’s call Big Intelligence what it is and enjoy the power more data and advanced hardware has bestowed on the human race.

Source: http://www.idgconnect.com/blog-abstract/28283/-big-intelligence-real-ai

PSSC Labs Partners with Biosoft Integrators to Debut Specialized Genetic Research Cluster at ASHG 2017

By marketing@site-a.com

High functioning PowerWulf Bio Titanium Cluster provides unique turn-key solution for genetic research

LAKE FOREST, Calif., October 12, 2017 /PRWeb/ — PSSC Labs, a developer of custom High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Big Data computing solutions, today announced it will be showcasing its PowerWulf Bio Titanium Cluster at ASHG 2017. PSSC Labs will be on the main exhibition floor at booth #830.

The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) the primary professional membership organization for human genetics specialists worldwide. With nearly 8,000 members, the ASHG gathers researchers, academicians, clinicians, laboratory practice professionals, genetic counselors, and others who have a special interest in the field of human genetics. Their annual meeting, attended by over 6,000 people yearly, advances genetic research and education as well as attracting displays of cutting edge service and support for the genetic research community.

PSSC Labs has partnered with Biosoft Integrators (BSI) to create a superior, complete turn-key hardware and software platform designed specifically for genetic research, which it will debut at this year’s ASHG meeting. The PowerWulf Bio Titanium Cluster is a plug-and-play supercomputing solution proven compatible with all leading sequencing platforms.

Biosoft Integrators (BSI) works with researchers around the world to integrate laboratory technology platforms. With extensive experience in laboratory settings, BSI provides researchers with greater efficiency and management by providing tools which unify the laboratory and laboratory informatics, eliminating the need to manually communicate work and data between different software and equipment. Combine their deep research knowledge with PSSC’s superior customizable hardware, the resulting PowerWulf Bio Titanium Cluster provides an unprecedented level of integration and support. With a fully customizable suite of hardware and software, and available onsite installation and training, it is the simplest way for research scientist to set up or expand their research computing ability.

PowerWulf Bio Titanium Cluster Features: 

  • Latest Intel Xeon processors
  • High Memory Amounts for Large Data Sets
  • High Performance Network Backplane providing up to 100 Gbps speeds
  • Large Storage Capabilities Ranging from 20TB to Multiple Petabytes.

“Our partnership with PSSC Labs over the last 6 years has allowed us to provide the fastest and most reliable computing solutions to our customers across the globe,” said Stu Shannon Co- Founder and COO of BSI. “PSSC’s expertise in High Performance Computing components and server architecture allowed us to configure a best in class turn-key solution for our worldwide customer base to support rapid time to answer, high availability and complete customer satisfaction.”

Every PowerWulf Bio Titanium Cluster includes a three-year unlimited phone / email support package (additional year support available) with all support provided by a US based team of experienced engineers. For more information https://www.site-a.com/solutions/hpc-cluster/

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/10/prweb14789255.htm

Biosoft Integrates Lab Equipment for Genetics Research with Help from PSSC Labs

By marketing@site-a.com

High functioning PowerWulf Clusters working to power research projects in remote locations all over the world

LAKE FOREST, Calif., September 21, 2017 /PRWeb/ — PSSC Labs, a developer of custom High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Big Data computing solutions, today announced its work with Biosoft Integrators to provide powerful, turn-key HPC Cluster solutions for researchers in the biotech and genetic research fields.

Biosoft Integrators (BSI) works with researchers around the world to integrate laboratory technology platforms. With extensive experience in laboratory settings, the company’s founders realized that often equipment and software are poorly integrated and lack the functionality to work with each other, requiring researchers to manually transfer work and data between software and equipment. BSI provides researchers with greater efficiency and management by providing tools which unify the laboratory and laboratory informatics. BSI combines knowledge, experience and technology platforms to the biotechnology marketplace including the manually tracked lab to the fully automated and integrated consumer genomics facility.

PSSC Labs will work with BSI to create truly, turn-key high performance computing (HPC) clusters, servers and storage solutions. PSSC Labs has already delivered several hundred computing platforms for worldwide genomics and bioinformatics research. Utilizing the PowerWulf HPC Cluster as a base solution platform, PSSC Labs and BSI can customize individual components for a specific end user’s research goals.

PowerWulf HPC Clusters are proven compatible with several genomics research platforms including both Illumina® and Pacific Biosciences®. Each solution includes the latest Intel® Xeon® processors, high performance memory, advanced storage arrays and fast networking topology. The PoweWulf HPC Clusters also include PSSC Labs CBeST Cluster Management Toolkit to help researchers easily manage, monitor, maintain and upgrade their clusters.

“PSSC Labs was willing to work with us to design each HPC systems, even allowing our software engineers to work directly with personnel at their production facility to ensure each HPC platform was built to work with each individual research project. “said Stu Shannon Co- Founder and COO of BSI. “The performance and reliability of PSSC Labs’ products are amazing. Many of our clients are conducting research in remote regions in southeast Asia, where repairs to equipment is extremely difficult to perform, and since partnering with PSSC Labs’ the HPC systems have required little more than the occasional hard drive replacement.”

PSSC Labs’ PowerWulf HPC Cluster offer a reliable, flexible, high performance computing platform for a variety of applications in the following verticals: Design & Engineering, Life Sciences, Physical Science, Financial Services and Machine/Deep Learning.

Every PowerWulf HPC Cluster includes a three-year unlimited phone / email support package (additional year support available) with all support provided by their US based team of experienced engineers. Prices for a custom built PowerWulf HPC Cluster solution start at $20,000. For more information see https://www.site-a.com/solutions/hpc-cluster/

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/09/prweb14726007.htm