Introducing Warewulf Pro

Since 2001, the open source Warewulf platform has been a reliable foundation for HPC (High Performance Computing) systems. Whether you’re deploying a small cluster for a single research team or a record-breaking TOP500 system, Warewulf has given you the tools you need to get a cluster up and running quickly, and with less hassle. And Warewulf v4, released in 2021, has continued to innovate with novel integration between the container ecosystem of tools and practices and paving the way to simplify an even broader category of cluster deployments, including Kubernetes and storage.

For years, CIQ has supported and contributed development to Warewulf for its customers and the community. But now we are pleased to introduce Warewulf Pro, which builds on the strong Warewulf foundation to deliver an intuitive, discoverable web interface and a “batteries included” set of pre-built cluster node images and accompanying configuration overlays. To make sure that you’re set up for success from day one, our HPC-focused node image comes bundled with Apptainer, the premiere HPC containerization runtime. And the entire Warewulf Pro platform remains backed by CIQ support and available hands-on training.

A new web interface

Getting started with Warewulf can be daunting for new cluster administrators, and even seasoned admins might not be aware of all of Warewulf’s features, especially new features as they are added in new releases. To make the entire Warewulf platform more discoverable, Warewulf Pro includes an intuitive web interface built on Cockpit, the popular web interface platform for servers that comes included with Rocky Linux.

The web interface immediately surfaces the underlying organization of a Warewulf cluster:

• A list of nodes to provision.
• Configuration profiles that may be applied to those nodes.
• The operating system images to provision to those nodes.
• Configuration overlays that customize the provisioned images for each node.

Beyond simple organization, the web interface provides additional assistance with pervasive in-line documentation for each entity and field. Don’t know what a particular configuration setting is for? Just click the question mark to get quick access to information about how the setting is used and how you can use it most effectively in your cluster.

Node images and overlays

The Warewulf community already provides a set of base operating system images and a foundational set of overlays necessary to provision a node and connect it to your network. Warewulf Pro goes further with complete, turn-key solutions for common use cases, starting with OpenHPC style compute nodes and CIQ’s own Fuzzball Substrate.

Warewulf Pro launches with node images for OpenHPC clusters, including the Slurm and OpenPBS job schedulers. If you’re using something else, just deploy the base OpenHPC image and you’re all set for an lmod-based compute node. Our OpenHPC images also come bundled with Apptainer, so you’re ready from day one to run containerized applications.

Or, if you’re stepping into the next generation of HPC with CIQ, you can get up and running even faster with Fuzzball Substrate images, to deploy compute nodes as part of a Fuzzball cluster.

All of these images come with overlays that help you quickly and intuitively configure them for your environment. Distribute necessary authentication keys, direct the compute nodes to the correct orchestration server, and more, by applying simple tags to nodes or their associated profiles, without modifying the underlying images.

And these images are just the beginning: Warewulf Pro serves as a venue for additional integrations and cluster types, including turn-key deployment of Kubernetes and distributed storage clusters. We will also be providing images based on CIQ’s Rocky Linux variants: RLC-H for environments that have hardened security and compliance requirements and RLC-AI for environments that need the latest performance optimizations and accelerator support.

Training and support

Warewulf Pro gives you access to CIQ’s expert customer success helpdesk and team, who can provide advice, technical support, and bug fixes, whether you’re using our pre-build images or building your own custom environment. We also offer remote and on-site training to familiarize you with Warewulf and its best practices, and online access to the curriculum for that training is included with Warewulf Pro. And, finally, if you need deeper or hands-on assistance, our professional services team can help design, build, deploy, and support your cluster, to enable you to get the best value from your investment.

We’re excited to bring you Warewulf Pro, and for the opportunities it opens for cluster administrators both now and in the future. If you’re interested in simplifying your next cluster deployment, or in taking better control over your current environment, contact CIQ to learn more.