This blog showcases the insights and expertise of our senior staff on pivotal topics such as high-performance computing, data storage, Cloud Solutions, and artificial intelligence. Our team of knowledgeable professionals are at the forefront of technological innovation, and through this blog, we aim to share their unique perspectives and experiences.
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OCF play a key role in Computing Insight UK (CIUK) conferences, through sponsorship of the event and delivery of the Student Cluster Challenges. Following the success of previous challenges and particularly the last one at CIUK 24, which I was closely involved with, OCF had the privilege of being invited again to do the same for CIUK 25.
Starting out at OCF as a Hardware apprentice, the HPC industry was completely foreign to me as it was never something I’d learnt or read about during my IT courses in school or college. My apprenticeship was in the hardware department which helped ease my nerves as computer components was something I was familiar with and had worked on before.
Working in the Hardware Team at OCF is a role that is both challenging and incredibly rewarding.
We are responsible for building and assisting in troubleshooting the High Performance Computing (HPC) systems that our customers rely on.
I began my journey at OCF as an Apprentice Hardware Engineer. Having already completed a Level 3 qualification in IT, I wanted to expand my knowledge through an apprenticeship — a chance to “earn as I learn.” What started as a foot in the door quickly became a life-changing opportunity, opening doors both personally and professionally.
Following Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, many customers have experienced significant increases in VMware licensing costs.
As a result, organisations are increasingly evaluating alternatives including Proxmox Virtual Environment (PVE) – a fully open-source platform based on Debian Linux.
All flash has been common for structured block storage for a while now. And 120TB QLC drives promised to drive the cost per TB down for other workloads. So it is easy to understand why all flash became the defacto expectation for many sprawling unstructured file stores.
In today’s fast-paced and competitive industries - particularly in the world of High-Performance Computing (HPC), success isn’t just about technical expertise or project delivery. It’s also about relationships. Building and maintaining strong professional relationships can be the difference between a one-time project and a long-term partnership.
At OCF, we recognise that trust, transparency, and consistent communication form the foundation of successful collaborations. From the very first conversation through to project completion (and beyond), our Project Managers take a proactive approach to relationship management — ensuring every client feels confident, informed, and valued.
When I look back over my 30+ years in the IT industry, one thing stands out clearly: my career has never been defined by job titles. Instead, it’s been shaped by the diverse roles I’ve taken on, the technologies I’ve explored, and the constant drive to understand systems from the inside out.
OCF Steel Stack is a comprehensive software suite designed to streamline High Performance Computing (HPC) deployments.