Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question

Setting up a lab for simulation and general use

Tags:
  • lab setup
  • Business Computing
  • Servers
Last response: in Business Computing
Share
September 11, 2014 11:14:43 PM

Hi there,

A friend of mine working at a college has been given the task to setup a 16 seat lab for postgraduate students.

The facility should let the students:

1. Run simulations software for their research projects.
2. Use the lab for other ordinary desktop purposes, like word processing etc.

I have proposed to him using a strong server with atleast 32 cores and zero clients or thin clients as terminals to establish the lab.

This is the first time we are into such a task and do not have prior experience.

So, can you guys please guide us what we exactly is needed for setting up such a thin/zero client lab and list all the hardware requirements in detail. So that we can prepare a feasibility report and establish budget requirements for such a lab.

many thanks in advance

Junaid

More about : setting lab simulation general

September 12, 2014 6:22:33 AM

This might depend on the simulation software and its system requirements, I would not go with thin clients as terminals if the software is going to be doing a lot of video or graphical simulations since the thin clients would not have the graphics power to do that. I would no go with a build your own server, I would go with Dell or HP, maybe see if you can get some type of discount by buying it through the college.
m
0
l
September 12, 2014 8:18:17 PM

You really need at least two servers. If one dies, you probably can't have the lab down. Is this an all Windows situation or is there a need for Linux? Your problem statement sounds like it COULD be done "in the cloud". Has your friend looked at using AWS for any of this. This would allow the lab manager to spin up and tear down hosts dynamically. The college may even have a private cloud that would be able to support this. Is your friend in the IT department or some other department. He probably should work with the IT department to integrate the solution with the rest of the college any way.

IF it has to be done with in-house hardware, then the requirements of the simulation software need to be determined, and then work with a Dell/HP/IBM technical sales or SE to propose a system with redundancy and expandability.
m
0
l
!