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Precision Delivered: HPC Installation & Commissioning
Deploying a High Performance Computing (HPC) system is a high-stakes process. Without expert planning and commissioning, even well-specified systems can underperform or face costly delays. Red Oak Consulting delivers targeted HPC installation and commissioning services to ensure your system is correctly designed, integrated, and ready to perform from day one.
Our process:
- Design Validation: Verifying that the system architecture aligns with your workloads, applications, and performance goals.
- BoM & Site Infrastructure Review: Checking Bill of Materials for completeness and compatibility, alongside power, cooling, and space requirements.
- Power & Cooling Strategy Consultation: Advising on scalable, efficient power and thermal solutions to ensure system reliability and sustainability.
- Installation Planning: Defining rack layout, equipment placement, and integration into your wider environment.
- Site Coordination: Liaising with your teams and third-party contractors to align on delivery and installation readiness.
- System Configuration: Installing and configuring the OS, core services, workload manager, and HPC software stack.
- Testing & Benchmarking: Running diagnostics and performance validation to confirm system functionality and stability.
- Documentation & Handover: Providing full configuration records and structured handover to your administrators.
Critical Risks in HPC Installation & Commissioning:
Technical Integration Issues
Compatibility issues between hardware and software, particularly when integrating legacy systems and multiple vendors, can delay commissioning, reduce performance, and lead to costly rework that ties up engineering resources.
Infrastructure Constraints
Power, cooling and space requirements are easy to underestimate. Addressing these in the planning phase, with informed assessments and clear escalation paths, helps avoid last-minute redesigns or costly capacity upgrades after deployment begins.
Coordination and Delivery Challenges
Project delays, scope changes, and misalignment between internal teams and vendors can increase costs and impact delivery timelines. Without clear ownership and communication, risks tend to escalate late in the commissioning process.
Security and Compliance Risks
Commissioning is one of the most common points where security missteps occur, particularly when configuration tasks are spread across teams. A consistent, accountable approach to implementation ensures controls are embedded from the outset, not retrofitted under pressure.
Operational Readiness Gaps
Insufficient documentation, training, and support handover leave teams unable to operate systems confidently. This raises the risk of errors, delays in troubleshooting, and extended reliance on costly external resources.
Red Oak made the whole project go smoothly and they understood our expectation. The Team was very friendly and approachable and showed a high level of professionalism. The Red Oak Team put a lot of effort in the commissioning and it was hugely appreciated.”
Swansea University,
College of Engineering
The procurement was highly successful. Owen was highly professional and highly knowledgeable. And Mark really saved the day for us. Both Owen and Mark smoothly integrated into the KAUST team but more importantly, believed in our mission to deliver this computer in order to support the global ambitions of KAUST and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Trusted by Many, Respected by All
Our team boasts a proven track record, having successfully led and project managed over 45 HPC projects of varying sizes and complexities. This extensive experience translates into a streamlined implementation strategy that ensures your new HPC environment is delivered on time, within budget, and exceeding expectations.
Here’s what sets Red Oak Consulting’s approach apart:
- Clinical Precision: We approach each installation with a meticulous eye for detail, guaranteeing a smooth and efficient process.
- Expert Vendor Management: Red Oak acts as your trusted advisor, expertly navigating the complexities of vendor relationships. We ensure all parties are aligned with project goals and facilitate clear communication, maximising value, and minimising potential hiccups.
- Multifaceted Leadership: Our project managers are adept at coordinating and leading diverse stakeholders, fostering seamless collaboration between your team, vendors, and Red Oak engineers.
- Transparent Communication: We establish clear project protocols upfront, ensuring everyone involved is aligned with goals and timelines.
- Proactive Management: Our team actively manages deadlines and anticipates any potential roadblocks, keeping your project on track.
- Technical Expertise: Each project benefits from a designated technical lead. This expert possesses a deep understanding of the entire HPC implementation lifecycle, ensuring efficient execution and maintaining project momentum.
- Mitigating Risk and Ensuring Success: We go beyond simply managing tasks; we actively mitigate risks throughout the process. Our team maintains a comprehensive risk log, identifying potential challenges and developing proactive solutions to ensure your project stays on budget and within the defined timeframe.
Explore Our Range of HPC Consultancy Services
Strategy & Planning
Develop an HPC strategy that meets the current and future
needs of all users and includes securing funding for a sustainable solution.
Procurement
Managing the complex process of HPC technical specifications, as in-depth as required, to deliver the right solution, on time and in budget.
Implementation
Reduce downtime, mitigate risk, improve performance and ensure reliability to enhance business productivity.
Optimisation
Understand your workflows, the ratio of computational intensity vs data intensity, test performance, speed, agility, whilst analysing all HPC costs to understand its true value.
Managed Services
Boost productivity with our HPC Cloud Computing services, including expert support, system management and research engineering.
With unparalleled experience in deploying major, multi-million-pound systems worldwide, Red Oak Consulting stands as a leader in the field.
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High-Performance Computing projects delivered
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HPC projects delivered on time
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HPC procurements ranging from £100K to £500 million
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HPC in the Cloud projects
FAQs
The procurement process should be thorough enough to clearly outline any consequences of delays for bidders. This mitigates any impact on the customer. Red Oak’s extensive experience with HPC procurements and installations can ensure that any such eventualities are covered.
To minimise delay and cost we recommend a factory acceptance test (FAT). If this is successful, a site integration and acceptance test (SIAT) should be performed when components are delivered to ensure that no changes have occurred since the factory test. Factory and site acceptance testing will usually be performed by the supplier with oversight from the customer or a third party specialist.
Red Oak has extensive experience in this regard.
Using a trusted, experienced, and independent third party to oversee testing to ensure that the supplier has assembled and tested the order with due diligence and that any commonly overlooked problems are kept in check.
This is highly dependent on the size and scale of the solution. In terms of actual build time this can typically last anywhere between a week to a month. However, depending on the extent of system testing, the full shipping, building and testing process can take up to 6 months or in some cases more.
This is a common scenario and making this a requirement during the procurement process can ensure that the supplier is aware of this need and plans the installation of a smaller test system to help you begin porting your workflows.
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Ready to Bridge the Gap Between Strategy and Success?
Contact Red Oak Consulting today to discuss your HPC implementation requirements. With our expert guidance and proven implementation strategy, your HPC vision will become a reality, propelling your organisation to new heights of success.
