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quick:start [2021/03/05 13:31]
kevin [Queues]
quick:start [2026/06/11 11:17] (current)
kevin [Logging in for the First Time]
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 This guide is intended for experienced HPC users and provides a summary of the essential components of the systems available at the CHPC.  For more detailed information on the subjects below see the full [[guide:start|User Guide]]. This guide is intended for experienced HPC users and provides a summary of the essential components of the systems available at the CHPC.  For more detailed information on the subjects below see the full [[guide:start|User Guide]].
- 
-**NOTE: the new system is still under construction and information here and in the User Guide is incomplete and subject to sudden change.** 
  
 //docti cave// //docti cave//
  
 +
 +==== Video tutorials for newcomers ====
 +If you are a new user to the CHPC, please watch these videos:
 +  * [[https://youtu.be/fCM8ZaFn4rs|Setting up a cluster password and logging in for the first time]]
 +  * [[https://youtu.be/CIEVMlrKXF4|The CHPC's service nodes and using the module system]]
 +  * [[https://youtu.be/mQjh8J_aMYU|Test running in an interactive PBS session]]
 +  * [[https://youtu.be/MEwi4uxM5hc|Running an application in batch mode under PBS]]
 +
 +====Mailing List====
 +
 +The **[[https://lists.chpc.ac.za/sympa/info/chpc-users|chpc-users mailing list]]** is the primary communication channel for information about the status of the cluster.  [[https://lists.chpc.ac.za/sympa/subscribe/chpc-users|Subscribe here]] to receive new messages; and //please note you should check your various mail folders including **spam**.// Once subscribed and logged in, you will also be able to view the [[https://lists.chpc.ac.za/sympa/arc/chpc-users|archive]] of past messages.
  
  
 =====Overview: 32 832 cores===== =====Overview: 32 832 cores=====
-The CHPC'brand new Dell Linux cluster is up and running.+The CHPC's Dell Linux cluster has been up and running since 2014.
  
-The new system is an homogeneous cluster, comprising Intel 5th generation CPUs. As of March 2017 it has 1368 compute nodes with 24 cores and 128 GiB* memory (360 nodes have only 64 GiB) each, and five large memory "fat" nodes with 56 cores and 1TiB* each, all interconnected using FDR 56 Gb/s InfiniBand accessing 4 PB of shared storage over the Lustre filesystem. +The new system is an homogeneous cluster, comprising Intel 5th generation CPUs. As of May 2025 it has 41 nodes with 24 cores and 256 GiB memory, 784 compute nodes with 24 cores and 128 GiB* memory, 355 nodes with 24 cores and 64 GiB memory, and four large memory "fat" nodes with 56 cores and 1TiB* each, all interconnected using FDR 56 Gb/s InfiniBand accessing 4 PB of shared storage over the Lustre filesystem. 
  
  
-* Maximum available memory on each type of node: ''mem=124gb'' (regular) or ''mem=61gb'' (regular with only 64GiB), and ''mem=1007gb'' (fat).+* Maximum available memory on each type of node: ''mem=250gb'' (regular with 256 GiB), ''mem=124gb'' (regular with 128 GiB) or ''mem=61gb'' (regular with only 64GiB), and ''mem=1007gb'' (fat).
  
  
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 </code> </code>
  
 +====Logging in for the First Time====
  
-The new system is running CentOS 7.0 and uses the //Bash// shell by default+:!: You will use a password only for the **first time** you log in using sshAnd the first step will be to set up your ssh key.  After this, you **can only log in using ssh keys and your password will be disabled.**
  
-You should change your password after logging in the first time. +Please read carefully and follow the procedure to set up your [[guide:sshkeys|ssh keys]] for your first login [[guide:sshkeys|here]].
-To change your password, use the ''passwd'' command. +
-Rules are10 characters, with at least one of the following character types: upper and lower case, numbers, and special characters.  Use ssh keys wherever possible.+
  
-Once you have logged in, give some consideration to how you will be using your session on the login node.  If you are going to spend a long time logged in, doing a variety of tasks, it is best to get yourself [[http://wiki.chpc.ac.za/quick:start#example_interactive_job_request|an interactive PBS session]] to work in.  This way, if you need to do something demanding, it will not conflict with other users logged into the login node.+ 
 +====Long Interactive Sessions==== 
 + 
 +Once you have logged in, give some consideration to how you will be using your session on the login node.  If you are going to spend a long time logged in, doing a variety of tasks, it is best to get yourself **[[http://wiki.chpc.ac.za/quick:start#example_interactive_job_request|an interactive PBS session]]** to work in.  This way, if you need to do something demanding, it will not conflict with other users logged into the login node
 + 
 +The new system is running [[quick:os|CentOS]] 7.3 and uses the //Bash// shell by default
  
 ====Trouble Logging in?==== ====Trouble Logging in?====
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 ^ Mount point  ^  File System ^  Size ^  Quota ^  Backup ^ Access  ^ ^ Mount point  ^  File System ^  Size ^  Quota ^  Backup ^ Access  ^
-| ''/home''  | NFS  | 80 TB  | **15 GB**  | NO <sup>[1]</sup>  | Yes  | +| ''/home''  | NFS  | 80 TB  | **45 GB**  | NO <sup>[1]</sup>  | Yes  | 
 | ''/mnt/lustre/users''  | Lustre  | 4 PB  | none :!:  | NO  | Yes    | ''/mnt/lustre/users''  | Lustre  | 4 PB  | none :!:  | NO  | Yes   
-| ''/apps''  | NFS  | 20 TB  | none  | Yes  | On request  |  +| ''/apps''  | NFS  | 20 TB  | none  | Yes  | No <sup>[2]</sup>  |  
-| ''/mnt/lustre/groups''  | Lustre  | 1 PB  | 1 TB <sup>[2]</sup>| NO  | On request only  | +| ''/mnt/lustre/groups''  | Lustre  | 1 PB  | 1 TB <sup>[3]</sup>| NO  | On request only  |  
 + 
 +:!: **IMPORTANT NOTE:** Files older than 90 days on ''/mnt/lustre/users'' will be automatically deleted without any warning or advance notice. 
 + 
 +**Note [1]** Unfortunately, at the moment the CHPC cannot guarantee any backup of the ''/home'' file system owing to hardware limitations.
  
-**Note 1:** Unfortunately, at the moment the CHPC cannot guarantee any backup of the ''/home'' file system owing to hardware limitations.+**Note [2]** Create a support ticket on Helpdesk if you would like to request us to install a new application, library or programming tool.
  
-:!: **IMPORTANT NOTE:** Files older than 90 days on ''lustre/users'' will be automatically deleted without any warning or advance notice.+**Note [3]** Access to ''/mnt/lustre/groups'' is by application only and a quota will be assigned to the programme, to be shared by all members of that group.
  
-**Note 2:** Access to ''lustre/groups'' is by application only and quota will be assigned to the programmeto be shared by all members of that group.+It is essential that all files that your job script writes to be on Lustre, apart from scheduler errors you will lose performance because your home directory is on NFS which is not parallel file system. It is also recommended that all files your jobs scripts reads, especially if large or read more than once, be on Lustre for the same reason.
  
 +It is usually okay to keep binaries and libraries on home since they are read once and loaded into RAM when your executable launches. But you may notice improved performance if they are also on Lustre.
 ====Quotas==== ====Quotas====
  
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 | smp  |  24 |  24 |  20 |  10 |  96 | For single-node parallel jobs.  |  | | smp  |  24 |  24 |  20 |  10 |  96 | For single-node parallel jobs.  |  |
 ^ normal  ^  240 ^  25 ^  20 ^  10 ^  48 ^ The standard queue for parallel jobs ^  ^ ^ normal  ^  240 ^  25 ^  20 ^  10 ^  48 ^ The standard queue for parallel jobs ^  ^
-| large  |  2400 |  264 |  10 |  5 |  48 | For large parallel runs  | //Restricted//  |+| large  |  2400 |  264 |  10 |  5 |  96 | For large parallel runs  | //Restricted// 
 +| xlarge  |  6000 |  2424 |  2 |  1 |  96 | For extra-large parallel runs  | //Restricted//  |
 | express  |  2400 |  25 |  N/A |  100 total nodes |  96 | For paid commercial use only  | //Restricted//  | | express  |  2400 |  25 |  N/A |  100 total nodes |  96 | For paid commercial use only  | //Restricted//  |
 | bigmem  |  280 |  28 |  4 |  1 |  48 | For the large memory (1TiB RAM) nodes. | //Restricted//  | | bigmem  |  280 |  28 |  4 |  1 |  48 | For the large memory (1TiB RAM) nodes. | //Restricted//  |
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 <code bash> <code bash>
 #!/bin/bash #!/bin/bash
-#PBS -l ncpus=24:mpiprocs=24:nodetype=haswell_reg+#PBS -l select=1:ncpus=24:mpiprocs=24
 #PBS -P PRJT1234 #PBS -P PRJT1234
 #PBS -q smp #PBS -q smp
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 #PBS -e /mnt/lustre/users/USERNAME/OMP_test/test1.err #PBS -e /mnt/lustre/users/USERNAME/OMP_test/test1.err
 #PBS -m abe #PBS -m abe
-#PBS -WMail_Users=youremail@ddress+#PBS -youremail@ddress
 ulimit -s unlimited ulimit -s unlimited
  
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 #PBS -e /mnt/lustre/users/USERNAME/WRF_Tests/WRFV3/run2km_100/wrf.err #PBS -e /mnt/lustre/users/USERNAME/WRF_Tests/WRFV3/run2km_100/wrf.err
 #PBS -m abe #PBS -m abe
-#PBS -WMail_Users=youremail@ddress+#PBS -youremail@ddress
 ulimit -s unlimited ulimit -s unlimited
 . /apps/chpc/earth/WRF-3.7-impi/setWRF . /apps/chpc/earth/WRF-3.7-impi/setWRF
/app/dokuwiki/data/attic/quick/start.1614943911.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/12/09 16:42 (external edit)