Project accounting is spread across both machines, so total time used is the sum of the time used on both machines. The user environment is much the same on both systems. The batch queues are similar and much of the applications software on the SC will eventually be installed on the LC. The main differences between the two systems are different compilers and in the amount of memory available. Large memory users will need to continue using the SC.

There is a web-based user guide ready to use. Much of this guide is common to both the SC and the LC but there is separate information for compilers and running parallel jobs. Similar application software to that on the SC is being installed on the LC. Further information on particular software packages is on-line at http://nf.apac.edu.au/facilities/sc/software/. Note that some packages are still not installed on the LC. These are marked as lc- and their number should decrease as the installation process progresses.

The LC cluster has the publicly available LAM MPI library installed so users can run parallel MPI jobs. Although the MPI latency and bandwidth on the cluster are not comparable with the SC, for parallel jobs which do occasional communication, the cluster provides a suitable environment. In particular, users with parallel ensemble tasks are encouraged to investigate the performance of their codes on the LC.

Users with single processor code with relatively small memory requirements should also consider using the LC.

You can log on to the LC with the same password as you have on the SC. Then you will have to transfer any files you wish to use using ftp and scp. Alternatively the command fastrcp can be used from the SC. This locally written command is similar to rcp, see man fastrcp on both the SC and the LC.

The file systems /home and /short have the same features as on the SC and the batch queuing system appears identical.

Help is available from help@nf.apac.edu.au if you encounter any problems in porting code between the two systems.

To access the GS1280 via the batch queues on the SC use the qsub option -lncpus=N:N where N<=16.

If you require 4 or fewer processors also use -lother=bigsmp to ensure that your job is placed on the GS rather than the SC. Some single processor jobs submitted to the SC queues may be placed on the GS by the scheduler. If you want to be sure that your job will not be run on the GS (for example, if you use the /fast file system) include the option -lother=not_bigsmp to qsub.

Note that SC MPI is not available on the GS so MPI jobs compiled on the SC will not run on the GS.

http://nf.apac.edu.au/accounts/forms/software.php

In some cases (for example if the licence cost is particularly high and the number of prospective users is small), the user may be asked to contribute to the cost of the licence.

When making the request it helps to give as much information as possible about the software, including cost, where it is available and site for downloading if it is free software.

Users are also reminded to use the -lsoftware flag when submitting batch jobs that require access to licensed software. This ensures that a batch job does not start if there are no free licences. In fact, the licence checking process now requires this flag before providing a licence.