Helping Scientists focus on the Science
At Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, managing multi-user Linux workstations for scientific computing presented a unique challenge. Tasked with overseeing system utilization without a dedicated role in the organization, the need for a solution that was intuitive and efficient became paramount. Netdata’s simplicity in setup and the ability to monitor systems remotely via the cloud addressed these challenges head-on, offering a seamless solution for workstation management.
“(Monitoring is) not technically part of my job but (its) not anyone else’s either, (we have) very limited time so I needed something easy to use that ‘just worked’. Netdata is very easy to set up and get working. Netdata cloud makes it simple to monitor from anywhere, fitting perfectly into our busy schedules and providing the essential data we need without fuss.”
Ben Jolly, Machine Learning Specialist
Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research
The organization’s mission, ‘Science for our land and our future’ relies heavily on the optimal utilization of computing resources. Netdata aids in this by ensuring resources are used efficiently, facilitating the acquisition of new equipment through usage data, and minimizing system downtime.
Tailoring Monitoring to Research Needs
Monitoring bare-metal Linux workstations equipped with NVIDIA GPUs, Netdata’s ease of setup, detailed per-user utilization information, and integration with third-party sensors have been pivotal. These features allow for precise tracking of resource allocation and system health, crucial for the high-performance demands of scientific research.
“Saved over 30 hours of client-chargeable time this year alone through efficient monitoring and troubleshooting facilitated by Netdata, significantly enhancing our resource utilization and reducing unnecessary expenditure on additional hardware.”
Ben Jolly, Machine Learning Specialist
Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research
An incident highlighting Netdata’s value involved diagnosing a fault with an NVIDIA A6000 GPU, which turned out to be a warranty issue. Without Netdata’s detailed monitoring, this problem would have required extensive time and resources to identify and resolve.
Looking forward, the intention is to extend Netdata’s application to all high-end workstations across Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, including those running Windows 10. This expansion will further embed Netdata as a cornerstone of the institute’s infrastructure monitoring strategy, providing unparalleled insights into workstation performance and utilization.
Netdata’s ability to break down CPU and RAM utilization by user has been particularly valued, offering a level of insight into disk usage and system performance previously unattainable. This granularity supports the organization’s goals of optimizing the performance of critical research applications and ensuring the sustainable use of valuable computational resources.
As the primary tool in the monitoring stack, Netdata stands out for its comprehensive feature set and ease of integration into existing workflows, making it an indispensable asset for the research environment at Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research.
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