High-Performance Computing (HPC) focuses on aggregating powerful computational resources to solve complex problems, whereas Cloud Computing provides scalable on-demand access to computing resources through the internet. However, cloud platforms can process HPC workloads, making them complementary in many scenarios.
Keep reading to dive deeper into the differences between High-Performance Computing vs Cloud Computing and discover which solution best aligns with your business goals.
High-Performance Computing vs Cloud Computing: A Quick Overview
Here’s a quick overview of the differences between High-Performance Computing vs Cloud Computing.
- On-premises HPC clusters are housed in company-owned data centers while cloud HPC clusters are hosted in third-party provider facilities such as Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure.
- On-premises HPC requires internal IT effort in maintenance and management while cloud HPC shifts maintenance to the provider but requires expertise in cloud technologies for proper implementation.
- Cloud HPC scales dynamically to match workload demands while on-premises HPC scaling requires adding in physical hardware upgrades.
- On-premises HPC offers full control over security while cloud HPC follows a shared responsibility model.
- Cloud HPC offers flexibility and is ideal for unknown workload needs while on-premises HPC is cost-effective for large, steady workloads despite its fixed commitment costs.
- HPC in the cloud enables faster installation and scalability, while on-premises HPC involves longer timeframes for hardware installation and expansion.
- On-premises HPC is physically deployed, while Cloud HPC is deployed programmatically via API.
What is High-Performance Computing?
High-Performance Computing (HPC) refers to the use of powerful computing systems connected with low-latency networks that leverage parallel processing to handle complex, large-scale computational tasks.
These systems are designed to perform a large number of calculations per second, enabling businesses and researchers to tackle problems that are beyond the capacity of standard desktop computers.
High-Performance Computing can be performed on local HPC cluster systems (On-Premises) or over the Internet through Cloud Computing.
Main Use Cases of HPC
HPC drives innovation across industries by enabling businesses to solve extremely complex problems quickly and efficiently.
- Manufacturing: Advanced simulations, design optimizations.
- Automotive: Design and crash simulation, structural analysis, fluid dynamics, noise and vibration, durability, electronics design.
- Oil & Gas: Seismic data processing, fluid dynamics, predictive maintenance.
- Aerospace: Aerodynamic optimization, structural analysis.
For a more in-depth look at industry-specific applications, visit our High-Performance Computing (HPC) Examples article.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing in the context of High-Performance Computing refers to the delivery of HPC resources, such as compute power and storage capacity over the internet.
Unlike traditional on-premises HPC systems, cloud HPC eliminates the need for a data center or capital investments and allows users to scale resources on demand. This flexibility makes it ideal for organizations with fluctuating workloads or those looking to avoid the maintenance and operational costs of a data center or co-location facility.
Cloud-based HPC solutions offer accessibility and cost efficiency in the short order and can be deployed in days, versus a month, enabling users to access state-of-the-art resources without waiting for the delivery of physical systems.
Some of the most popular HPC cloud service providers include:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud
HPC vs Cloud Computing: Key Differences
HPC and Cloud Computing share foundational similarities as both rely on the same compute, network, and storage building blocks. Both approaches enable users to process large datasets and run complex simulations with efficiency and speed. But how are they exactly different?
Here’s an in-depth look at the differences between HPC vs Cloud Computing.
Location
HPC clusters are typically housed in company-owned data centers or data centers managed by other organizations, called co-location facilities, providing businesses with full control over their physical and digital infrastructure. This setup enables organizations to customize hardware and software configurations to meet specific performance, data transfer bandwidth, and security requirements.
Cloud-based HPC, however, is hosted in the global data centers of third-party providers such as Google Cloud, AWS, or Microsoft Azure. These providers maintain the underlying infrastructure and offer access to their fixed resources over the internet.
While cloud HPC eliminates the need for an in-house data center or co-location facility, businesses sacrifice some control over their computing environment and pay a premium for the flexibility the cloud offers, trading autonomy for the convenience of global reach and seamless resource availability.
Maintenance
On-premises HPC clusters demand effort from internal IT teams or a managed service provider to manage and maintain the infrastructure. The expertise required to effectively manage HPC systems can be a challenge for organizations, as it requires a specialized and experienced team that can handle the evolving needs of high-performance workloads.
Cloud HPC shifts much of the infrastructure burden to the service provider, who takes responsibility for infrastructure updates, power and cooling, and hardware reliability. However, transitioning to the cloud introduces new complexities, requiring organizations to understand cloud technologies, cloud services, how to integrate applications in the cloud, and cloud management practices.
Businesses often need to invest in hiring a multitude of cloud specialists to ensure a smooth adoption process and long-term efficiency.
At TotalCAE we offer comprehensive On-Premises HPC solutions, simplifying HPC and helping organizations alleviate the IT burden of having to maintain or manage their On-Prem HPC clusters, as well as managed cloud solutions that run in clients’ cloud environments, or both.
Scalability
Scalability is a key advantage of cloud computing, allowing organizations to expand or reduce their computing resources as needed. This dynamic scalability makes cloud HPC ideal for businesses with fluctuating workloads or short-term projects. Users can quickly scale up for intensive tasks and scale down when resources are no longer needed. Note that the on-demand cloud does not guarantee access to resources when you need them – the cloud can also be out of capacity for popular HPC instances, such as GPUs from time to time.
In contrast, scaling an on-premises HPC cluster is not as rapid as the cloud. Expanding capacity requires purchasing, installing, and configuring new hardware, which can take several weeks depending on the complexity and scale of the system.
This limitation can make on-premises HPC less suitable for organizations with rapidly changing demands or unpredictable workloads that don’t have a baseline floor.
Security
On-premises HPC clusters provide businesses with complete control over their infrastructure, including security measures. For companies that handle highly sensitive data, this level of control can be critical in meeting their control objectives.
In a cloud HPC environment, security responsibilities are shared between the provider and the customer. While cloud providers implement robust measures to secure their infrastructure, customers are responsible for safeguarding their data, applications, and access points. Misconfigured settings or poor cloud security practices within an organization can lead to more devastating data leaks, such as those seen in the news, compared to similar on-prem vulnerabilities.
Costs
Cloud computing offers flexibility and scalability, making it an attractive option for organizations with limited budgets that only require temporary HPC resources. Businesses can also benefit from pricing plans as their usage grows, like Cloud Reserved Instances for predictable workloads, to reduce the substantial cost of on-demand computing for steady baseline workloads.
However, for organizations with consistent, large workloads, on-premises HPC clusters often prove to be more cost-effective in the long run. Owning a cluster eliminates recurring cloud usage fees over the useful lifespan of the equipment, which is 5 years, and potential slow data transfer or high costs associated with data transfer over the internet. Today, a single HPC physical server has hundreds of cores, and are able to be handled by most client data centers.
Some of TotalCAE’s clients have reported that the Pay-As-You-Go pricing model tends to be more expensive than anticipated for consistent, steady workloads.
Setup Time
While cloud systems still require some initial configuration, businesses can bypass the weeks typically spent on hardware installation and/or expansion for an on-premises solution. This makes cloud HPC an excellent option for projects with tight timelines or fluctuating computing demands.
TotalCAE can stand-up a fully functional turnkey HPC with your applications in as little as one day in your cloud subscription.
A Modern Alternative: Hybrid HPC
For organizations seeking the best of both worlds, hybrid HPC solutions offer an innovative alternative.
TotalCAE provides managed HPC services that integrate both on-premises and cloud-based HPC cluster management, all at a set fixed price. This hybrid approach allows businesses to process data faster and achieve cost savings of up to 60% for everyday workloads compared to competing solutions that are cloud-only or require you to run in their cloud environment instead of yours.
Learn more about our Managed HPC solutions.
Harness The Power of HPC & Cloud Computing With TotalCAE
TotalCAE offers Managed HPC solutions backed by 17 years of experience in the HPC industry. Our goal is for you to focus on engineering, not IT.
Our On-Premises HPC solutions allow you to take full advantage of On-Prem clusters without having to manage the installation or maintenance. Our Cloud HPC solutions are managed by our team of experts in your cloud subscription. Access the latest hardware, and have total control over your data, spending, and more.
Contact us today to get started or to learn more about our solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about the differences between HPC vs Cloud Computing.
Is Cloud Computing the Same as High-Performance Computing?
Cloud computing and high-performance computing (HPC) are distinct but complementary technologies. Cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing services and resources over the internet, offering scalability and accessibility on demand.
HPC, on the other hand, involves aggregating powerful computational resources to solve complex problems requiring substantial processing power, such as simulations or large-scale data analyses.
What Are the Disadvantages of Cloud Computing?
The primary disadvantage of cloud HPC lies in its costs, specifically when running steady, complex simulations over extended periods. Another downside is data transfer speeds when downloading large files over the internet. When choosing between High-Performance Computing vs Cloud Computing, this is one of the key factors to consider.
Which Cloud Provider Is Best for HPC?
There is no single “best” cloud provider for HPC, as the choice depends on the specific needs of an organization, including workload types, budget, and existing infrastructure. Leading providers like Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure offer robust cloud computing capabilities, each with distinct features and pricing models.
If your company utilizes any of the major cloud providers, TotalCAE can integrate into your existing cloud subscription.