Getting Started with ARCC

Step 1: Get an HPC Account and be added to a project.

Whether you’re a UWyo faculty member (Principle Investigator; PI), a researcher, or a student, there are two things you need to access the the ARCC HPC cluster:

1. You need to request an HPC account
   and

2. You must become a member of a project on the cluster.

   1. If you are a PI, you may request a project be created.

   2. If you are not a PI, a PI may request a project creation on your behalf, then request you be added as a member.

Step 2: Log in and Access the HPC

1. Now you’re ready to connect/login to the cluster! Note: you should not be connected to the UWguest wireless network.

2. Users can log in 2 ways:

   1. Login over Command Line Interface (most commonly method of logging into HPC). Learn how.

   2. Login through Southpass: ARCC’s OnDemand resource, which makes ARCC’s HPCs available through your web browser. Learn how.

3. Once in a command line interface, type in “ssh <username>@<clustername>.arcc.uwyo.edu” and press enter.

   1. For example: ssh arccuser@beartooth.arcc.uwyo.edu

      1. The first time you log in you will get a message saying the ‘authenticity of the host … can’t be established' and asking if you ‘are sure you want to continue?’.

      2. Enter ‘yes’.

   2. You will then see a Notice to Users and a Two-factor Authentication message, with your mobile device ready, enter your password and accept the Duo Mobile (2FA) challenge when it pops up.

4. Once you are connected, a bunch of text will scroll by. This will vary depending on the cluster. On Beartooth, for example, there are usage rules, tips, and a summary of your storage utilization across all projects that you are part of.

   1. Note that when you are logged in, the command prompt will look something like this: [arccuser@btlog1 ~]$

      1. This shows your username and which login node you are currently utilizing. The login node (here, btlog1) can, and probably will, change from one session to the next.

      2. The “~” indicates that you are in your home folder on the storage system.

Step 3: Start Processing

ARCC uses the Slurm Workload Manager to regulate and schedule user submitted jobs and tasks on our HPC systems. If you’re running a job on an ARCC HPC system, Slurm is likely managing resources for it to run.
Read more about processing jobs and using slurm here.

While Processing you may want to:

Load your software with The Module System

LMOD is very useful software on a HPC cluster that is leveraged to maintain a number of dynamic user environments and allow users to switch between software stacks and packages on HPC resources. Learn more about using LMOD here.

Transferring Data on and off HPC

Data transfer can be performed between HPC resources using a number of methods. Several methods for data transfer between ARCC resources are detailed here.

Viewing Visual Data or Accessing HPC Using a Graphic/Visual Interface

If you want to view visual output you’ve created on Beartooth or just need access to a GUI (Graphical User Interface), please use Southpass. Pages have been created for accessing Beartooth or Wildiris in a GUI.