bwHPC

Scientific computing has become more and more important over the past years, not only for research but also for training and education. In order to address this need and create better opportunities for gaining HPC expertise, the state of Baden-Württemberg has developed the concept “bwHPC” (High Performance Computing in Baden-Württemberg).

bwHPC offers:

• State-wide training sessions and workshops about HPC
• The e-learning course Introduction to bwHPC. This course introduces the bwHPC cluster and facilitates access to the bwHPC Wiki. Note: You will need the bwUniCluster or bwForCluster entitlement in order to access the course.
• bwHPC Wiki. Here you can find technical information for your work on the bwHPC clusters (user and best practice guides) as well as information about the installed software (cluster information system, CIS).
• Trouble ticket system
• Tiger teams: collaborations between members of the bwHPC team and scientists aimed at solving special problems (e.g., porting of software and performance optimization)

Detailed information is available on the bwHPC website.

Scientists and students in Baden-Württemberg have access to five modern bwHPC clusters dedicated to special scientific fields:

• bwUniCluster at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
• bwForCluster JUSTUS for theoretical chemistry at the University of Ulm
• bwForCluster MLS&WISO for molecular life sciences as well as economics and social sciences at the Universities of Mannheim and Heidelberg
• bwForCluster NEMO for neuroscience, elementary particle physics, and microsystems engineering at the University of Freiburg
• bwForCluster BinAC for bioinformatics and astrophysics at the University of Tübingen

Access to the bwUniCluster

Please note that the process described below is still under development and may change at any time.

The bwUniCluster can be used for scientific work by any member of the universities of the state of Baden-Württemberg. Students of the University of Stuttgart are granted access to the bwUniCluster for one year at a time. You may reapply for access subsequently.

Access to the system is authorized by the user's home university. For members of the University of Stuttgart, this is handled by the High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS).

Please be aware that in the future usage of the bwUniCluster may be subject to charges. Further information and cost details will be announced in the "Entgeltordnung für die Nutzung der Rechenanlagen und peripheren Geräte des Höchstleistungsrechenzentrums Stuttgart (HLRS) an der Universität Stuttgart" and respective updates of this document.

Please note that usage of the system is subject to various user agreements.

Furthermore, authorization to use the bwUniCluster is tied to your affiliation with the University of Stuttgart and will be withdrawn as soon as your affiliation ends. Your account and any associated data will be deleted automatically.

The registration procedure is explained here. In short, it consists of three consecutive steps:

• Step A: Request for clearance — obtainment of bwUniCluster entitlement
• Step B: Web registration of your bwUniCluster account at KIT
• Step C: Filling out the bwUniCluster questionnaire

Step A: Request for clearance for the bwUniCluster at HLRS

Access to bwUniCluster is based on your unique user account with the University.

To request clearance of your user account for bwUniCluster, please send an email to bwunicluster(at)hlrs.de containing the following pieces of information:

• full name and academic title
• gender
• unique user account (ac-account or st-account)
• contact email address
• supervisor (name & institute) (only required for students)
• project title
• short abstract of the project

HLRS will process your request, clear your account for usage of bwUniCluster, and send a notification to the email address you specify.

After that, you need to proceed with the registration of your account at KIT.

Step B: Registration of account at KIT

Once your account has been cleared by HLRS, you need to register as a user of bwUniCluster at KIT. To do so, please visit the website https://bwidm.scc.kit.edu. A brief document describing the required steps is available here.

Step C: Filling out the bwUniCluster questionnaire

During or after the web registration (step B) you must fill out a short questionnaire. You will be asked about your scientific field, the numerical methods you use, your field of activity, and your type of activity.

Please fill out the questionnaire within 14 days after your registration. Otherwise your bwUniCluster account will be locked!

Further information about training sessions and workshops

Click here to see the list of upcoming events.

We would like to inform you about upcoming events per mail. If you agree, please subscribe to our mailing list “bwHPC-News” on the website https://listserv.uni-stuttgart.de/mailman/listinfo/bwhpc-news.

Contact

If you need further information or assistance, please contact bwunicluster(at)hlrs.de.