Getting Started
New to ARC? See below to get started, but don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions or need assistance.
The Basics
The following are the basic steps to getting started with ARC:
Get access to an allocation.
Select from the available resources.
Select from available software (or compile your own).
Develop a test workflow via interactive jobs.
Submit research computations via batch jobs.
We offer video tutorials of most of these steps as well as training courses to help people get started.
Learning Curve
There can be a learning curve in using research computing resources. In particular:
ARC systems run Linux and traditional use is via the command line. However Open OnDemand also provides access to our systems using the browser and many popular applications, such as Jupyter notebooks, Matlab, or RStudio, are available via the click of a button.
You must submit your work through the scheduler. This is different from running on a lab workstation. Submitting a job just involves writing down a list of commands you want the system to run and how many resources you want it to use — it is not difficult once you get used to it.
Your program needs to be able to leverage parallel computing in some way to take full advantage of ARC resources. Third-party programs or libraries exist to make this easier and ARC computational scientists are available if you need assistance.
Familiar with research computing but new to ARC
If you are an experienced research computing user who is new to ARC, you may just need to know the following:
The schduler is Slurm.
Common software is built using EasyBuild and loaded using modules.
Allocations are used to manage access to a wide variety of resources.
Training
To help users get started, we offer introductory training sessions throughout the year via the Professional Development Network. Our computational scientists are also available for classroom presentations on high-performance, parallel, scientific, or other research computing topics — this is a great way to get a research group up to speed.
If you prefer to do things at your own pace, we offer video tutorials that walk through each of the steps in getting started with ARC.
Getting Help
If you are interested in using ARC’s resources for your current or future projects, or if you would just like to learn more about our computing systems and services, please request a consultation or drop by our office hours. You do not need to have any prior experience with research computing — our team can assist you in determining the right system for your project.