HPC (High Performance Computing for Research)
Service Description
- High Performance Computing (HPC) uses the power of linked Linux-based computers to speed up computing tasks.
- HPC can save weeks or months of work on a PC.
Why not chat to us at digitalresearch@abdn.ac.uk to see if HPC can help your project!
Need HPC for Teaching and Learning?
Features
-
Technical specification
- Compute, GPU, and high memory nodes
- Full details
-
Project storage space
- 50GB of resilient, backed-up personal home space
- 1TB of scratch space working storage
- Additional HPC storage by negotiation
- You must remove all data at the end of your project
- Non-HPC data storage can be requested using this form.
-
Software
- Available on Maxwell
- Not available already? Request at digitalresearch@abdn.ac.uk
-
Backup and Restore
- Home space backup as follows:
- Daily backups kept for 14 day
- Weekly backups kept for 1 week
- Scratch partition and Vault not backed up
- Full details
- Home space backup as follows:
-
Scheduling/Prioritisation
- Management system allocates jobs to available nodes.
- Funded projects given priority
- Full details
-
Remote Access
- Maxwell can be accessed both on-campus and off campus. using a variety of clients that support the SSH protocol.
- Full details
-
Access to and advice on external HPCs
Users
- Staff, including honorary staff
- Research postgraduate students
- Masters’ students
- Undergraduate students
- External collaborators and,
- External companies via commercial arrangement
Service Hours
- 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, bar below:
- Scheduled downtimes, giving prior notice of at least a week
- Unforeseen interruptions - restoring services as soon as possible
Level of Service
- Support is available during normal working hours.
- Training on HPC is delivered to staff and students annually
- Bespoke training for staff and students on request
For further information, support, or training requests, please contact us at digitalresearch@abdn.ac.uk
Documentation
- User Guide
- HPC on Toolkit: Learn more about our HPC Services
- HPC Web Site: Includes technical specification
- See Fresh Service Solutions (requires you to sign in) for Maxwell User Guide and “How To” guides.
- Panopto recording of training session - 21 October 2019
- PowerPoint presentation used during training session - 21 October 2019
- Accessing Maxwell from a remote location
Request Process
- Maxwell – For all current research projects
- Macleod – For teaching and learning or training purposes
- External Organisations: we welcome external organisations!
Please allow 2-5 working days for your request to be actioned.
Once account allocated, further guidance will be provided.
User Responsibility
Users must comply with all relevant University policies and guidance including:
- Information Security Policy
- Data Protection Policy
- Research Data Management Policy and Guidance
- Conditions for using IT Services
*All in policy zone
Costs
Funded Projects
- The HPC uses a queuing algorithm which prioritises funded projects
- Costs must be included in Worktribe grant applications:
- £100 minimum per funded project (HPC account, set up support, and up to 1000 core hours CPU)
- 10p per core hour for compute
- 10p per core hour per GPU
- £400 per day for additional support (eg installation and troubleshooting of bespoke applications)
- Additional storage by negotiation.
- For a quote, please contact digitalresearch@abdn.ac.uk
Unfunded Projects
Limited free use (up to 1000 core hours) for:
- Small pilot projects
- Unfunded PGR projects
- Unfunded UG/MSc projects
Test the HPC
Free of Charge (up to 500 core hours).