Getting started
First, create an account on the clusters. Our team will review your request and grant you access to the resources that will best satisfy your computing needs. Once you have an account, you will be able to access the clusters and submit your jobs. Please review the guides and tutorials on how to optimize your jobs to run on the clusters. These include recommendations on best practices and mistakes to avoid. You can access the Ganglia monitor system to see the real time status of the clusters in the HPRC (requires a connection to the VCU network or VPN).
Create an account
To create an account on the Huff, Teal, and Godel clusters, submit the HPRC account creation form. We will contact you at the email address provided.
All requests for Fenn accounts (research requiring compliance and “Category I” data) must be handled by contacting the VCU help desk, (804) 828-2227, and submitting a ticket for the Center for High Performance Computing (TS-Research).
Access the clusters
If you are off-campus or on certain on-campus networks, you may be required to install and use the VCU VPN client before using your ssh client.
Access to the servers is through the Secure Shell (SSH) and Secure File Transfer (SFTP). MacOS and Linux have SSH and SFTP included as commands through their Terminal. Windows computers will need to have programs installed to do this. We recommend PuTTY for SSH and Filezilla for SFTP transfers.
- Download PuTTY for SSH on Windows
- Download FileZilla for SFTP file transfers between your computer and the servers
With an SSH client, please connect to your account on the cluster using your eID and the password you set when you requested the account.
All computation on Teal, Godel, and Fenn should be submitted via Grid Engine. Grid Engine instructions.
All computation on Huff should be submitted via slurm. Huff instructions.
Guides and resources
Linux resources
- Basic Linux help
- Using Grid Engine at HPRC
- Using Slurm at HPRC
- Using Modules at HPRC
- Using Perl at HPRC
- Using Python at HPRC
- Advanced - user customized installs with Linuxbrew
Getting help and submitting a ticket
You may contact HPRC in a number of ways. One of the best is to submit a ticket via the VCU Help Desk.
You may do this by logging in to the VCU Ticket System. These tickets are logged and available to all HPRC staff without delay.
After you have logged in:
- Select the new IT support ticket button
- Select the research button
- Select the High Performance Computing button
- Select the CHiPC support and resources button
- Select the request support option (only option)
- Fill out the ticket details form
- Include your VCU email in the alt email box
- In the description box, please be as descriptive as possible about your issue, what cluster you’re working on, and what software/compilers you use.
- In the attachment, include any screen shots or submission scripts useful for troubleshooting the issue.
- Click submit and we’ll respond as soon as we can
Additionally, you can contact the HPRC director regarding your issue so that it may be routed to the appropriate staff member.
Physical location
High Performance Research Computing
1015 Floyd Ave.
Harris Hall 3rd Floor
Richmond, VA 23284
Shipping location
Life Sciences Supply Center
1000 W. Cary St.
Room 128B
Richmond, VA 23284
Contact us
Alberto Cano, Ph.D.
Faculty director
(804) 827-4002
acano@vcu.edu
Mike Davis
Technical director
(804) 828-3885
jmdavis1@vcu.edu
Quick links