ACCRE has developed classes focused on various aspects of scientific computing on the cluster. Current cluster users who have never attended these classes may find some or all of them useful. Because the material covered includes general computing knowledge, classes are held free of charge to any member of the Vanderbilt University community (although due to limited space preference will be given to current users of ACCRE resources).

The following four ACCRE classes are offered roughly twice per month (class schedule below):

1. Introduction to Unix/Linux
2. Introduction to the Compute Cluster
3. Job Scheduler Details
4. Compiling Programs

For continued use of the cluster, all new users are required to attend part of this training within the first two months of opening their accounts. Please attend the Introduction to Unix/Linux and Introduction to the Compute Cluster classes within one month of opening your account. After you have submitted jobs to the cluster, then return for the Job Scheduler Details class within two months. If these classes are not completed in a timely manner, we may place temporary restrictions on your account.

The Introduction to Unix/Linux and Compiling Programs are not generally required. However, fluency with Unix/Linux is a necessary prerequisite for the other classes. If you are not fully comfortable working in the Unix/Linux environment, then you must also attend the Introduction to Unix/Linux.

New accounts in an existing ACCRE group versus new guest accounts will have different temporary restrictions placed on them, as outlined below.

Until the required classes are completed the following restrictions apply to new accounts:

• New accounts in an existing ACCRE group: We require new users to attend the Introduction to the Compute Cluster class within one month of activation of their cluster account and the Job Scheduler Details class within two months of activation of their cluster account. This gives a new user multiple opportunities to attend the classes before any restrictions are applied. We want you to begin using the cluster and submitting jobs before attending Job Scheduler Details. Therefore, you should wait until the following series after attending the Introduction to the Compute Cluster. Because users in existing groups generally begin with ongoing cluster projects and are working with researchers already familiar with using the cluster, we do not place job restrictions on new accounts. However, if the class requirements are not met, the account will be suspended until training is finally completed.
• New guest accounts: Before a guest account can be created, the new user is required to meet with the Education and Outreach Liaison (send email to set up a meeting) to discuss potential usage of the cluster. Job limits are imposed on Guest usage until training is completed. Before Introduction to the Compute Cluster is attended, there is a limit of 16 jobs running simultaneously on the cluster. You may have up to 300 jobs in the idle and blocked portions of the queue, but more than 16 will not be allowed to run at any one time. Once the Introduction to the Compute Cluster is attended, this limit is relaxed to 32 jobs running simultaneously until the user attends Job Scheduler Details. Once training is completed the limit is set to the default allowance of 300 simultaneously running jobs. If after two months a new user has not completed these two required classes, their account will be suspended until training is finally completed.

Please be aware that restrictions may be placed at any time on a user account if jobs are causing any problem with the cluster hardware or are interfering with the jobs of other users. In such cases, we notify the user as soon as possible (although for extreme cases, we must sometimes kill problem jobs before we have made contact with the user). We then work with the user to monitor the progress of their jobs until they can be run normally on the system without causing problems. The main intent of the classes is to educate users in order to help avoid such issues.

Because there is finite space in our training classroom we ask that you please register for the training sessions you expect to attend so we may plan accordingly.

All classes are held at ACCRE in the Hill Center building on 18th Avenue (Link to map and directions to ACCRE).

The series of four classes are offered twice per month, although occasionally due to special events the interval between classes is not fixed. If no participants are registered 2 days prior to any particular class, we may officially cancel it. Therefore, if you wish to attend without registering please e-mail us as soon as possible to check the class can still be held.

Within two months of activating your account, if you cannot attend the required classes due to conflicts with teaching or courses in which you are currently enrolled, please notify us via Request Tracker so we can discuss other arrangements to complete the training classes.

Also this Fall 2008! Dr. Greg Walker and Dr. Alan Tackett will offer High Performance Computing (ME343/CS343/PHYS343). For more information see this flyer and the course page which will be updated nearer the Fall semester.