HLRN 2016

HLRN introduction

The North German Supercomputing Alliance (Norddeutscher Verbund für Hoch- und Höchstleistungsrechnen – HLRN) operates a distributed supercomputer system. The system is hosted at the two HLRN sites Georg-August-Universität Göttingen and Zuse Institute Berlin and is dedicated to the scientific research community in Germany.

The users of the HLRN are supported by a transregional and interdisciplinary competence network consisting of application experts. This network involves all boards and institutions in the HLRN. The alliance is represented in the Gauß-Allianz by the two HLRN sites. ¹

The University Oldenburg is represented in the HLRN network by Stefan Harfst, who acts as local consultant. The HLRN support can be reached by sending an e-mail to support@hlrn.de.

Sign up to HLRN

Members of the CvO University of Oldenburg are entitled to make use of the supercomputing resources of the North German Supercomputing Alliance (HLRN) and you can make a request to get access to the cluster network. To do so, follow the steps listed here:

1. fill out the application form for a user account, which can find on the HLRN website in English or German. Among other things, the form asks for an active compute project. Should you currently have no approved compute project, choose Other reason and specify your currently proposed compute project.
2. After completion, the document will be sent to you by e-mail (please use your University e-mail in the application process) as a PDF, which you must then sign yourself. You can print the form or add your signature electronically.
3. Next, also get a signature from your institute/department director and a rubber stamp from the institute/department. Again, the signature (and the stamp) can be done on the printed paper or electronically.
4. Afterwards, the form with all the signatures and stamps must be sent by e-mail to Stefan Harfst, who is the local HLRN consultant. If you have printed the form please scan it into a single PDF.
5. The PDF with the final signature from the local consultant will be e-mailed to HLRN, sending a paper copy is no longer be necessary (regardless of what the instructions say).
6. You should receive an e-mail with a confirmation that your account is ready within a few working days.

Should you have any further questions, you can send an e-mail to the HPC support or directly contact the local HLRN consultant Stefan Harfst.

For further information, you can visit the HLRN project website.

Using the HLRN Resources

Once you have an account on the HLRN systems you can start your compute project. Please refer to the Quckstart Guide to find out how to access and use the HLRN supercomputers. Note that unlike with the local supercomputer, the HLRN only provides a limited amount of compute time that can be used. Compute time is accounted for by the so-called NPLs. Each user automatically a deposit of 10 kNPL per quarter (which can be increased upon request to up to 40 kNPL). Additional compute time is awarded to so-called Großprojekten (compute projects) which require you to write a short proposal for a review process (note, that only scientists holding a PhD can be the PI of a compute project). Typical compute projects are awarded between 50 and 250 kNPL per Quarter for the duration of one year (prolongation requires to write a short report). A compute project should be considered in particular if you have the need for a large amount of parallel compute time (capability computing).