HPC Consultation

Intro

Our innovative High Performance (HPC) and Scientific Computing services accelerate and advance cancer research.

Our services include HPC support and consultation, education, and reliable access to various state-of-the-art HPC systems including the NIH Biowulf system, the NCI MOAB system, and HPC programs at the Department of Energy.  

We also work closely with investigators across NCI to develop, optimize and/or validate HPC applications that expedite numerous data management functions.

What We Do

We provide consultation, training, and support for high-performance computing (HPC) systems used by NCI researchers.

Our Service Includes

Consultation and Evaluation of Your Scientific Computing Needs. We help you determine which HPC resources will help accelerate your research. These resources include:

• NIH’s HPC systems Helix and Biowulf
• NCI’s HPC system, MOAB
• Temporary storage space to share or move data files
• HPC application development or optimization
• Application testing
• Extended application profiling

Training and Education on High Performance Computing (HPC) Systems. We offer the guidance you need, including:

• How to use and program the NIH HPC systems, Helix and Biowulf and the NCI HPC system, MOAB
• Individualized training—we meet with you one-on-one to explain how to use specific computing tools and processes for your research study
• Recommendations for HPC-related presentations on the NCI HCP wiki and NIH training materials

Access and Login Assistance to the HPC systems. We provide assistance to access and log into the HPC systems you need to use, including:

• NIH Helix and Biowulf systems
• NCI MOAB system
• Department of Energy HPC systems

Assistance on the Optimal Use of HPC Resources. We help you optimize the HPC resources you can use for your research. For example:

• How to make HPC applications run fast using graphical processing units (GPU)
• Which combination of HPC applications to use
• How to transfer your data efficiently using GLOBUS, the electronic service

FAQ

How Much Does It Cost?

There is no cost to you for HPC consultation.

There is a nominal monthly charge for an NIH HPC account. This gives you access to all of the NIH HPC systems and associated services (i.e. Helix, Biowulf).

There are no additional charges for CPU or storage on the NIH HPC systems.

How Does It Work? What Do I Need to Do?

If you’re not sure what you need or if you need any guidance on using high performance computing, we’re here to help. Use the Request Service button to request a consultation.

For additional information about our HPC program visit the NCI High Performance Computing (HPC) Program wiki.

When is the Service Available?

HPC Consultation is available during normal business hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding holidays.

How Long Does It Take to Receive the Service?

We generally respond to requests for consultation within 1 business day.

Additional Resources

NIH HPC Systems

• For information on how to access to Helix and Biowulf visit the NIH HPC Systems: How To page.
• For information on how to obtain a user account on NIH HPC systems visit the web page entitled User Accounts on the NIH HPC Systems.

Department of Energy HPC Systems

Argonne National Lab Leadership Computing Facility

• For information about user access see the User Accounts web page and the New User Guide web page.

Oak Ridge National Lab Leadership Computing Facility 

• For information about user access see the Getting Started Guide on the Oak Ridge National Lab website.

Related Services

High Performance and Scientific Computing Data Transfer Resources

High Performance and Scientific Computing Application Development

Research Computing and Data Management and Analysis