Cloud Pre-Exercise

Physics analyses in the field of particle physics often involve processing large amounts of data, typically spanning several terabytes. Within the CMS collaboration, these analyses have been performed using high-throughput batch systems like HTCondor, which is installed at CERN and various research institutions. Additionally, the worldwide LHC computing grid (WLCG) has been instrumental in providing distributed computing resources for such analyses. However, open data users may not have access to these resources at their own institutions. To overcome this limitation, the CMS OpenData workshop in 2023 aims to enable researchers to utilize computing resources through public cloud vendors.

What is this lesson about?

Welcome. In this lesson you will:

  • Learn what Kubernetes is.
  • Understand the basic way on how Kubernetes (often abbreviated as K8s) and a workflow orchestration tool such as Argo operate.
  • Learn how to create a K8s cluster prepared for physics analysis.
  • Learn to configure and run a simple Argo workflow.

Prerequisites

In order to complete this lesson you need

  • A basic understanding of UNIX shells (external link).
  • A basic understanding of containers (after completing the Docker lesson).

Helpline

Remember that we are always available to help. Our Mattermost channel is open.

Schedule

Setup Download files required for the lesson
00:00 1. Introduction What is Kubernetes?
What is a Kubernetes cluster and why do I need one?
00:10 2. Getting started with Kubectl What is Kubectl?
How to use Kubectl commands?
00:20 3. Getting started with Argo What is Argo?
How to use Argo commands?
What are Argo workflows?
How do I deploy my Argo GUI?
00:30 4. Storing a workflow output How to setup a workflow engine to submit jobs?
How to run a simple job?
How can I set up shared storage for my workflows?
How to run a simple job and get the the ouput?
01:05 5. Create an Argo Workflow How can I visualize my workflows?
How do I deploy my Argo GUI?
01:30 6. Cleaning up How do I clean my workspace?
How do I delete my cluster?
01:45 Finish

The actual schedule may vary slightly depending on the topics and exercises chosen by the instructor.