Orchestrating Docker containers in the HPC environment

Linux container technology has more than proved itself useful in cloud computing as a lightweight alternative to virtualisation, whilst still offering good enough resource isolation. Docker is emerging as a popular runtime for managing Linux containers, providing both management tools and a simple file format. Research into the performance of containers compared to traditional Virtual Machines and bare metal shows that containers can achieve near native speeds in processing, memory and network throughput. A technology born in the cloud, it is making inroads into scientific computing both as a format for sharing experimental applications and as a paradigm for cloud based execution. However, it has unexplored uses in traditional cluster and grid computing. It provides a run time environment in which there is an opportunity for typical cluster and parallel applications to execute at native speeds, whilst being bundled with their own specific (or legacy) library versions and support software. This offers a solution to the Achilles heel of cluster and grid computing that requires the user to hold intimate knowledge of the local software infrastructure. Using Docker brings us a step closer to more effective job and resource management within the cluster by providing both a common definition format and a repeatable execution environment. In this paper we present the results of our work in deploying Docker containers in the cluster environment and an evaluation of its suitability as a runtime for high performance parallel execution. Our findings suggest that containers can be used to tailor the run time environment for an MPI application without compromising performance, and would provide better Quality of Service for users of scientific computing.