High-Performance Computing (HPC)
Many computationally intensive research projects, such as large-scale simulations, can only be completed within a reasonable timeframe using high-performance computers. As part of state-wide projects (bwHPC) in the field of high-performance computing (HPC), the University IT Department provides access to HPC resources in Baden-Württemberg and appropriate support for users.
Mailing List
Through the “hpc-info” mailing list, users in Mannheim regularly receive information and invitations to informational events. Once you are granted HPC access rights (entitlement), you will be automatically added to the list.
State-wide Project bwHPC-S5
The state-wide project bwHPC-S5 (Scientific Simulation and Storage Support Services) maintains a state-wide HPC and storage infrastructure and coordinates user support across universities. Use of the bwHPC clusters is free of charge for members of universities in Baden-Württemberg. In return, authors are expected to acknowledge the use of bwHPC resources in their publications.
In addition to operating the clusters, bwHPC offers additional services to bridge the gap between researchers, HPC infrastructure, and the state’s storage services:
- Support through discipline-specific centers of expertise, a support portal, a wiki, and course offerings
- Provision of scientific software on the clusters
- Assistance with accessing storage systems (bwDataArchive, SDS@hd, LSDF)
- Central Application Site (ZAS) for managing compute projects (RV)
Infrastructure and projects within the bwHPC framework are funded by the Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts (MWK) of the State of Baden-Württemberg, the German Research Foundation (DFG), and universities in Baden-Württemberg.
HPC for Research and Teaching
In total, five clusters are available through bwHPC: the basic service system bwUniCluster 3.0, as well as four bwForClusters specialized in various academic disciplines. The clusters are classified at HPC performance level 3. For more demanding computing requirements, the HPC team also provides support for transitioning to higher performance levels.
bwUniCluster 3.0
The bwUniCluster 3.0 is operated as an entry-level and basic service system for research and teaching at the Scientific Computing Center (SCC) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). It can be used by both researchers and students. To use the system, users must complete a short questionnaire on the Central Application Portal (ZAS). There is also a video tutorial for the bwUniCluster that explains the registration process step by step.
bwForCluster Helix
The bwForCluster Helix is operated by the University Computing Center (URZ) at Heidelberg University and provides computing power from more than 20,000 processor cores and 200 GPUs. Prospective users of a bwForCluster must submit a compute project (RV) via the Central Application Site (ZAS) or join an existing RV in their research group.
University IT Mannheim (UNIT) is part of the discipline-specific Competence Center for Structural and Systems Biology, Medicine, Soft Matter, Computational Humanities, Mathematics, and Computer Science. The Competence Center offers users individual support on the Helix cluster. Helix is of particular interest to Mannheim researchers, as the economic and social sciences are among the disciplines supported.
Access Permissions
Users at the University of Mannheim need a central identifier (Uni-ID) to apply for an “entitlement,” i.e., authorization to use HPC. The application for HPC access can be submitted via a web form.
Once the Mannheim HPC team has reviewed and granted the entitlement, users can register on one of the five bwHPC clusters. The steps required for each cluster are described in the central bwHPC Wiki.
Support
The HPC team at University IT is part of the state-wide support structure under the bwHPC initiative. It provides technical support for accessing the clusters and using the installed scientific software. The software currently available can be viewed in the software catalog.
Sources of Information
There are various sources of information available to help you become familiar with using the clusters. The bwHPC Wiki provides detailed information on the registration process as well as the structure and use of the clusters. In addition, there is a learning platform with self-paced courses and regular courses for beginners and advanced users.
Miscellaneous
You can find additional services offered by the scientific computing centers in Baden-Württemberg on bwUniIT. In addition to the services already mentioned, there are offerings in the areas of research data management (bwFDM) and visualization (bwJupyter & bwVisu), as well as support for the development of scientific software for HPC systems (bwRSE4HPC).
Contact
If you have questions about access rights (entitlement), please contact the HPC team at University IT: hpc-supportmailman.uni-mannheim.de
Questions regarding the use of the respective clusters can be submitted to the bwHPC central support portal. The Mannheim HPC team is connected to that portal and can be reached there, with representatives from all clusters and centers of expertise.