The REST interface for programming access to HPC resources
FirecREST is a RESTful services gateway and interface for managing HPC resources. Designed and developed as a high-performance and reusable framework of micro-services, it provides a coupling layer between the identity and access management of the cloud and web world and the essential POSIX interfaces used in HPC. FirecREST therefore serves as a secure, web-accessing interface for accessing HPC services such as HPC compute capability or high-speed storage. Together with the use of standard technology, its modular design enables simple integration into existing HPC infrastructure.
FirecREST allows communities that require HPC to build value-added workflows or services to maximise the productivity of their members. Developing such services is made easier with FirecREST because it uses standard technologies such as REST API. With the addition of pyFirecREST, any HPC user can develop a simple Python program that connects through the web to his/her HPC providers and enable the submission of jobs or transfer of data in and out of the HPC centres.
Establishes a web interface for HPC systems
FirecREST is platform-agnostic and interoperable with different web technologies through HTTP protocols. This eliminates the need to use complex SSH keys setup, a VPN connection, or to establish a direct connection to the HPC centre. Thanks to FirecREST, your program just needs a simple network connection to be able to manage your HPC resources.
Built modularly to integrate HPC ecosystems
FirecREST is a collection of loosely coupled services. Each service focuses on different capabilities, such as an identity translation from standard web identity protocol to POSIX user names, or manipulation of HPC resources to match the HPC infrastructure. With such flexible design, FirecREST can adapt to many technologies, and its interface can be extended to specific services provided by an HPC centre.
Secures and monitors HPC resource access
FirecREST uses “OIDC connect” as an authentication protocol to ensure a valid authentication of the program accessing the infrastructure. For authorisation, FirecREST uses Open Policy Agent (OPA), which allows fine-grained rules for users, clusters, and micro-services when accessing resources. FirecREST provides an entry point for every API requests that enables an extra layer of monitoring and validation of requests.
Facilitates programmatic HPC resource access
FirecREST simplifies the technical complexity of programming access to HPC resources. From a programmatic point of view, users can build or consolidate existing HPC workflows or HPC services by using a common REST API technology or by using the Python bindings of FirecREST.
