======CHPC Cloud Resources======


    *[[guide:cloud:overview|Overview]]
    *[[guide:cloud:start|Getting Started]]
    *[[guide:cloud|User Guide]]
    *[[guide:cloud:practices|Best Practice and Policies]]
    *[[guide:cloud:glossary|Glossary of Terms]]
    *[[guide:cloud:faq|FAQs]]

======Overview======

The **CHPC Cloud System** is a CentOS-based cloud computing infrastructure powered by [[https://www.openstack.org/ | Openstack]] and open source storage software [[https://ceph.io/ | Ceph]]. Openstack provide services like server virtualization, block & object storage systems, software defined networking, an image repository, a web based dashboard and authentication.You can read more about [[https://docs.openstack.org/ussuri/ |Openstack and its various projects]]. 

The **Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC)** hosts an OpenStack cloud built on Supermicro server and storage systems, using the Supermicro TwinPro servers to provide 320 cores/640 threads (2.50 -- 3.90GHz) and  3TB DDR4 memory providing some 4GB RAM per core and all in just 4U of rack space. It is connected through Mellanox 100GB ethernet networking to Supermicro Ultra and Supermicro Simply Double Servers, providing a CEPH Storage cluster with over 1.5PB (1500TB) of mechanical disk storage, offering resources such as:

  * **Compute Resource:**  provides you with access to a large set of CPU & RAM and are provisioned on a per Instance basis.
    
  * **Storage Resource:** Block & Object storage functionality based on the open source software 'Ceph'. Ceph provides a scalable and highly available storage solution across many commodity servers.
     
  * **Networking Resource:** provides 10Gbps Internet connectivity, 10Gbps inter-host and 240Gbps inter-rack network connectivity using Openstack's Software Defined Networking (SDN).

=====User Policies=====

All users are subject to the terms and conditions of the NICIS Sebowa Cloud Policy document:

  * {{:guide:cloud:cloud_policydoc_final.pdf|Cloud Policy version 2025 v1.0}}

=====Privacy Notice=====

**Important: Privacy**

In compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA) No. 4 of 2013, please read the CSIR's [[https://www.csir.co.za/csir-privacy-notice|Privacy Notice]] and the {{ :chpc:accounts-privacy-notice.pdf |Accounts Privacy Notice}}.


=====Fees for using the CHPC cloud system=====

The cloud resources are allocated on per project basis, then several instances are provisioned based on the available resources allocated to the project. The billing is calculated by allocation not by percentage of utilization. CHPC will send out invoices near the beginning of each month for the previous months usage. Payments are due upon you receiving the invoice. The current billing fees are calculated as follows:

  * R0.23 per vCPU hour.

  * R0.14 per GB hour of vMemory(vRAM).

  * R0.0017 per GB hour of storage (volumes, images and object storage).

=====Apply for Resources=====

The Cloud is now open to a broader community of researchers. Apply today and start using our resources. 
A new project account on the Cloud user database can be requested through the [[ https://sebowausers.nicis.ac.za/ | Application process]]. Upon acquiring a cloud user database account and submitting a project on the CHPC cloud user database. Your application will go through a series of approvals and once approved you will receive an email with further instructions, including login credentials to access the CHPC Openstack Cloud resources.


=====Best Practices=====

Cloud users are expected to:

  * Make appropriate use of Cloud resources and use good social behaviour.

  * Do not share private ssh keys or login information. 

  * Cite the CHPC Cloud in any papers describing a research achieved on the Cloud.
  
  * Provide feedback on research outputs achieved from allocation usage.  This feedback is used by the CHPC to determine the setting for the next allocation.

  * Submit tickets to the [[ https://users.chpc.ac.za/helpdesk/ | CHPC support ticketing system]] when encountering technical issues not covered by the Cloud support documentation.

=====Getting Started=====

Already a CHPC cloud user? Log into the [[https://sebowa.nicis.ac.za | CHPC Openstack Dashboard]] and launch a VM instance/s for your workflow.

[[guide:cloud:start|Read more...On Launching instances]]