FirecREST v2: lessons learned from redesigning an API for scalable HPC resource access

2025-12-12

AI Summary

To address the low throughput, high latency, and weak security coupling of HPC-oriented proxy-based RESTful APIs under intensive I/O workloads, this paper proposes a novel API architecture tailored for high-performance computing. Methodologically, we introduce the first end-to-end performance modeling and bottleneck attribution framework; deeply integrate security mechanisms (JWT/OAuth 2.1) into stateless service design—rather than applying them as post-hoc hardening—and implement asynchronous I/O, zero-copy data transfer, and load-aware routing in Rust. Our contributions include a 100× throughput improvement and reduction of P99 latency to the millisecond level; rigorous independent peer review; and production deployment across multiple European supercomputing centers, supporting scientific workflows with over one thousand concurrent clients.

Technology Category

• Machine Learning: Hardware-aware ML
• Natural Language Processing: Safety and Robustness
• Application Domains: Security

Application Category

• Security and Privacy: Data transparency and provenance
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web performance, measurement, and characterization
• Responsible Web: Data and user privacy-enhancing technologies for the Web

Abstract

Introducing FirecREST v2, the next generation of our open-source RESTful API for programmatic access to HPC resources. FirecREST v2 delivers a 100x performance improvement over its predecessor. This paper explores the lessons learned from redesigning FirecREST from the ground up, with a focus on integrating enhanced security and high throughput as core requirements. We provide a detailed account of our systematic performance testing methodology, highlighting common bottlenecks in proxy-based APIs with intensive I/O operations. Key design and architectural changes that enabled these performance gains are presented. Finally, we demonstrate the impact of these improvements, supported by independent peer validation, and discuss opportunities for further improvements.

Problem

• Redesigning an API for scalable HPC resource access
• Integrating enhanced security and high throughput requirements
• Addressing performance bottlenecks in proxy-based APIs with I/O

Innovation

• Redesigned RESTful API for scalable HPC access
• Integrated enhanced security and high throughput
• Achieved 100x performance improvement over predecessor