Users who would like to use the Ascend cluster will need to request access. This is because of the particulars of the Ascend environment, which includes its size, GPUs, and scheduling policies.
Motivation
Access to Ascend is done on a case by case basis because:
- All nodes on Ascend are with 4 GPUs, and therefore it favors GPU work instead of CPU-only work
- It is a smaller machine than Pitzer and Owens, and thus has limited space for users
Good Ascend Workload Characteristics
Those interested in using Ascend should check that their work is well suited for it by using the following list. Ideal workloads will exhibit one or more of the following characteristics:
- Needs access to Ascend specific hardware (GPUs, or AMD)
- Software:
- Supports GPUs
- Takes advantage of:
- Long vector length
- Higher core count
- Improved memory bandwidth
Applying for Access
PIs of groups that would like to be considered for Ascend access should send the following in a email to OSC Help:
- Name
- Username
- Project code (group)
- Software/packages used on Ascend
- Evidence of workload being well suited for Ascend
Supercomputer:
