Cluster Service Levels
Soho Corporation offers several levels of cluster support based on the level of clustering experience and IT support technical users have available to them, and are designed to offer maximum flexibility.
Level 1 System Preparation
This level of service is designed for customers with users or IT staff that is skilled in the setup and configuration of technical computers, or technical computing clusters.
Level 1 customers have the ability to load and tune technical computing applications, design and implement compute clusters, configure networking parameters, and perform routine system maintenance. The four hours of technical support at this level can be used for any purpose, but they are typically used to answer vendor-specific questions, and not for basic system administration questions.
Level 2 System Preparation
This level of service is designed for customers with users or an IT staff that has the ability to install and implement workstation or server, but lacks the time, skills, or desire to implement a cluster.
Soho Corporation will configure and test the machines as a cluster, but it is the responsibility of the customer to obtain and install the application-specific license, configure the systems on the network, and perform routine maintenance. All system benchmarking is the responsibility of the customer at this service level. Level two customers typically use the four hours of Soho technical support for cluster specific issues.
Level 3 System Preparation
This level of service is designed to provide a turnkey cluster solution with the onsite implementation done by the customer. Most level 3 customers have an in-house support team that is familiar with the cluster OS, but often an on-site "expert" doses not exist. The cluster will be loaded, tested, and benchmarked in the Soho Corporation applications lab, and shipped to the customer with instructions for re-assembly. The systems will arrive with networking and application licenses configured. Level 3 customers typically use the 4 hours of Soho bridge support for setup questions, basic and advanced user interface questions, as well as cluster specific questions. While no advanced knowledge of the cluster OS is required, an educational commitment must be made by the customer.
Level 4 System Preparation
This level of service is designed to provide a turnkey cluster solution with the onsite implementation done by Soho Corporation.
Many level 4 customers have an in-house support team that is familiar with basic cluster OS operation and management, but often no skills exist. The cluster will be loaded, tested, and benchmarked in the Soho Corporation applications lab, and shipped to the customer. Soho Corporation will install the systems, attach the systems to the customer’s existing network, configure the application license, and re-run the vendor-supplied benchmarks. Soho Corporation will spend 4 hours at the customer site familiarizing users with the systems, answering questions, and helping to configure the local environment. Level 4 customers typically use the 4 hours of Soho bridge support for setup questions, basic and advanced user interface questions, as well as cluster specific questions. While no advanced knowledge of the cluster OS is required, an educational commitment must be made by the customer.