October 8, 2025Open Access

Experience with ARM WNs at the WLCG Tier1 GridKa

Key Points

ARM CPUs demonstrated improved power efficiency compared to x86 CPUs, leading to potential cost reductions.
Benchmarking results using HEPScore23 revealed notable performance improvements for ARM worker nodes.
The ongoing integration of ARM worker nodes at GridKa highlights advancements in high-energy physics computing.
The tests indicate a progressive shift toward ARM architecture that may benefit the wider HEP community.

Abstract

Computing centers are always looking for new worker nodes (WNs) that can reduce operational costs, especially energy consumption, and provide higher performance. ARM CPUs promise higher power efficiency than x86 CPUs. The WLCG Tier1 center GridKa will therefore partially use WNs with ARM CPUs. It has already conducted various energy consumption and performance benchmarkings for several such ARM WNs based on the benchmark HEPScore23 as well as a CPU frequency scan to determine their best performance and power efficiency. We present the results of these benchmarkings in comparison to those of the x86 WNs currently operated at GridKa and summarize the progress made at GridKa in providing ARM WNs to the HEP community.

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