Information for new users to HPC resources



ARCHER2 (Tier-1)

In order for new users to gain access to our resources on ARCHER2 (project code e05) already allocated to your group:

1) The group leader (full member) should email klmc.mcc@ucl.ac.uk the full name and nationality of each member of their group who requires access but does not already have an account on ARCHER2 under e05. NB. it is a requirement of the ARCHER2 services that I confirm that each user has given their correct nationality.
2) Each new user to ARCHER2 must self register on SAFE by completing this webform. Note that (a) for the first question, you should use your acedemic email if you have one as this will avoid future complications, and (b) the second question typcially catches out non UK citizens - please make use you select the country of your nationality (as opposed to where you are now based), which hopefully matches that sent to me by the group leader.
3) From an account on SAFE, if not already in our project (e05), please request to join e05. This will send an email to me. When I get a moment, I will process your application (which will end with an email sent to you) provided the above steps have been completed correctly (or I may email either you or the group lead if there is a problem).

Typically I will give the group leaders (or their nominated group manager) management powers on SAFE so they can add/remove any e05 user to their budget codes (which have the form e05-YYYYY-XXX, where XXX is replaced by the code for the group you are in and YYYYY is replaced by the code of the theme your project comes under). You need to ask your supervisor to give you access.

Note that I will also give you access to e05-pool (for jobs submitted to any queue) and e05-low (for jobs submitted to the low-priority queue), which are for all e05 users. To be able to submit a job to the low priority queue (which does not charge the selected budget code), the selected budget code must have some CU in it. Given you may not always have access to a group code with CU, we have created the budget code e05-low with a small amount of CU in it (unless someone has recently charged a job to it by mistake). If you do charge e05-low, then I may remove your access to e05-low and reclaim the CU from your group. If there is CU in e05-pool and provided the group budgets you have access to are not underspent, then please feel free to submit a job charged to e05-pool. Note also that you should not try to run jobs using the budget code e05, as this code is for anyone in the MCC and allows us to share the disk quota.


Note that the enforced allocation boundaries, when any unspent CU is lost to us, for ARCHER2 are 6 months apart, which typically start from January 1st and July 1st, whereas for YOUNG it is 3 months, and do not align with MCC allocation periods.




YOUNG (Tier-2)

In order for new users to gain access to our resources on YOUNG already allocated to your group:

1) Each new user to YOUNG must self register HERE .

2) And the group leader (full member) should email klmc.mcc@ucl.ac.uk your name and inform us that you have completed this form (this is not automated).

Note that YOUNG uses ssh keys, without which you will not be able to connect (i.e. if you do not already have an account you will need to supply the public part of your ssh key in the webform). If you need access to another budget code, please complete the form again and drop an email to klmc.mcc@ucl.ac.uk (no need to give us the ssh key again). If you need to change your ssh key, please email UCL's rc-support.

If you already have an account on Young, but simply need access to a budget code (these have the form MCC_YYYYY_XXX, where XXX is replaced by the code for the group you are in and YYYYY is replaced by the code of the theme your project comes under), then complete the self registration form again, remembering to tick all the themes you need access to - there is no need to include your ssh key). An automted email is sent to me, so when I have a moment, I will connect you to the requested budget codes.

You can also choose to submit jobs to the free (low priority) queue, which will not charge us. Note also that the enforced allocation boundaries, when any unspent Gold is lost to us, for YOUNG are 3 months apart, starting from the first Monday of Jan, April, July, Oct, respectively, whereas for ARCHER2 it is 6 months, and typically do not align with MCC allocation periods.




ARCHER (closed)

In order for new users to gain access to our resources on ARCHER (project code e05) already allocated to your group:

1) The group leader (full member) should email me (Scott Woodley) the full name and nationality of each member of their group who requires access but does not already have an account on ARCHER under e05. NB. it is a requirement of the ARCHER services that I confirm that each user has given their correct nationality.
2) Each new user to ARCHER must self register on SAFE (there is a link near the bottom of the page).
3) From an account on SAFE, if not already in our project (e05), please request to join e05. This may require a password which the group leader should know or can be obtained from me; but not by email!! My telephone number is 020 7679 0315.

Typically I will connect: group leaders to all their budget codes; and members of groups to budget codes as set out in the last summary sheet of proposals used at our meetings. For members of your group not listed (or for those I have accidentally forgotten to connect), group leaders should email which budget codes they wish their group member to have access to. All changes are posted on our website, and you can also log onto your SAFE account from where you can check what resources you have access to and from where you can request an account and reset your password on ARCHER.





THOMAS (MCC no longer has access)

In order for new users to gain access to our resources on THOMAS already allocated to your group:

1) The individual user should already have an account on ARCHER (if not please follow instructions given above assuming you have time resources on ARCHER).
2) Each new user to THOMAS must self register HERE .

Typically I will connect: group leaders to all their budget codes; and members of groups to budget codes as set out in the last summary sheet of proposals used at our meetings. For members of your group not listed (or for those I have accidentally forgotten to connect), group leaders should email which budget codes they wish their group member to have access to. Please be patient as I do not run a 24-7 service. Note also that there is a wiki help page.





HECToR (closed)

To gain access to our resources on HECToR (project code e05) you will need to do the following:

1. Group leader should submit a proposal (two sides A4 max), which should state clearly: 1) To which theme it belongs, 2) The title of the sub-project, 3) Names of all investigators, 4) Name of the principle user i.e. one who needs an account and will submit the calcs on HECToR (note that this person can only be a principle user on one project), 5) The required AUs! NOT hours!, 6) The required disk space, 7) The code to be used (info on the scalibilty would also be useful), 8) The type of jobs (e.g. percentage of calculations using 512, 1024 CPUs etc)
2. If your sub-project proposal is successful, the group leader must email me (Scott.Woodley at ucl.ac.uk) confirming your Nationality (you should already be named as the principle user for a sub-project)
3. You must obtain our project password (e.g. Telephone me on 020 7679 0315 as this information should not be passed electronically)
4. Self register on the HECToR website at https://www.hector.ac.uk/safe, and click on 'here' near the bottom of the page.
5. As a new user, you may also find this document useful

I will then be able to approve your account and attach you to the corrrect budget within our consortium. Then you will be able to log onto your website account, from where you can check what resources you have access to and request a password for your unix account (from where you can run your jobs).





HPCx (closed)

To gain access to our resources on HPCx (project code e05) you will need to do the following:

1. The group leader must email me (Scott.Woodley at ucl.ac.uk) with such a request and must confirm your Nationality
2. You must obtain our project password (e.g. Telephone me on 020 7679 0315 as this information should not be passed electronically)
3. Self register on the HPCx website at http://www.hpcx.ac.uk/projects/new_users/. As a new user, you will also find it useful to read information on that page.

I will then be able to approve your account and attach you to the corrrect group within our consortium. Then you will be able to log onto your website account, from where you can request a password for your unix account (from where you can run your jobs) and check what resources you have access to.

Because we are a large consortium, we allocate both CPU time and Hard Disk space to each group. Thus, when you log onto your unix account, you will need to change from /hpcx/home/e05/e05/{your user name} (disk space here is allocated to e05 and is constrained to a minimum) to either /hpcx/home/e05/e05-***/{your user name} for homespace or /hpcx/work/e05/e05-***/{your user name} for workspace, where *** is either the first three or four letters of your group leaders surname. For more information please read this or my original communication on this matter.




CSAR (closed)

To gain access to our resources on CSAR (project code cse133) you will need to do the following:

1. The group leader must email me (Scott.Woodley at ucl.ac.uk) with such a request
2. You must obtain the access username and access password for your site (e.g. Telephone me on 020 7679 0315 as this information should not be passed electronically). Note that each institution has a different username and password, so if you are the first from your group I will need time to request new username and password to be created.
3. Self register on the CSAR website at http://www.csar.cfs.ac.uk/project_management/register.shtml for an account on Wren (front end and where you will be allocated disk space) and Newton (crunching machine and where you will be allocated CPU time). As a new user, you will also find it useful to read information on that page.

I will then be able to approve your accounts. Note that resources here are associated with individuals so I will need to know know to split up your groups allocated resources if you are not the only user from your group. PLEASE NOTE that our Hard disk space is more limited on CSAR (compared to HPCx) and is also charged as a function of time. However, there is scratch space on Newton but be careful as files that have not been recently touched will be deleted.