Kategorie: ‘Allgemein’
Firefox Replaced on Dialog Nodes
The Firefox web browser was uninstalled from all HPC cluster dialog nodes due to lacking security updates for the given system configuration. Moreover, Firefox was deployed the modules tree to maintain its availability until the update problems using the OS packages can be fully resolved. However, this strategy requires to load the „Firefox“ module using the command line first and executing it then on the command line as well.
To workaround these limitations, we are providing a wrapper script and a desktop definition, such that you should be able to continue using Firefox seamlessly without any further actions required.
You can track any disruptions or security advisories that may occur due to the aforementioned change in the RWTH High Performance Computing (HPC) category on our status reporting portal.
New Project Limits
As you know, we operate our cluster in 1-cluster-concept. This also means that the system is supported by multiple funding sources with different budgets. The NHR share (Tier-2) is the largest. Unfortunately, the project quota for RWTH-s, RWTH-thesis and RWTH-lecture (Tier-3) in the machine learning segment (GPU partition) is currently overbooked. Therefore, the following changes will take effect immediately for all new project applications (already granted projects are not affected):
- RWTH-s projects: reduction of the maximum project size to 4000 GPU-h per project per year
- RWTH-lecture and -thesis projects: reduction of the maximum project size to 1500 GPU-h per project
In order to ensure that all users can still successfully carry out their research projects, we propose the following approach for future proposals:
- If you do not need more than 4000 GPU-h, please apply for RWTH-s as before.
- If you do not need more than 10000 GPU-h and would like to conduct a project in the field of machine learning or artificial intelligence, please apply for a WestAI project.
- If you do not need more than 10000 GPU-h, you are welcome to apply once (!) for an NHR Starter project. Please note that this category is intended as preparation for an NHR Normal or Large project. An extension is therefore only possible with a full proposal and should be for more than 10000 GPU-h. NHR Starter projects are allocated centrally by the NHR office; if you choose this route, please select RWTH as your preferred center.
- If you need more than 10000 GPU-h, please apply for resources within an NHR Normal or Large project. To ensure appropriate use of the system, NHR projects undergo a science-led peer-review process.
We are convinced that this step is in the interest of all users in order to avoid overloading the GPU partition (ML segment).
Furthermore, please note that in future, NHR Normal projects may request up to 20 million core-h.
Please refer to the project catalogue for a complete overview (including a decision flow chart),
Please contact servicedesk@itc.rwth-aachen.de for any further questions.
Slurm GPU HPC resource allocation changing on the 01.11.2025
The CLAIX HPC systems will be changing the way GPU resources are requested and allocated starting on the 01.11.2025.
Users submitting Slurm Jobs will no longer be able to request arbitrary amounts of CPU and Memory resources when using GPUs on GPU nodes.
Requesting an entire GPU node’s memory or all CPUs, but only a single GPU will no longer be possible.
Each GPU within a GPU node will have a corresponding strict maximum of CPUs and Memory that can be requested.
To obtain more than the strict maximum of CPUs or Memory per GPU, more GPUs will need to be requested too.
The specific limits per GPU on GPU nodes will be eventually documented separately.
Users are expected to modify their submission scripts or methods accordingly.
This change is driven by our efforts to update the HPC resource billing mechanism to comply with NHR HPC directives.
NHR requires that computing projects apply for CPU and GPU resources independently.
NHR also requires that HPC Centers track the use of these CPU and GPU resources.
The independent resources are then accounted for by Slurm jobs within our CLAIX nodes.
Therefore CPU nodes will only track CPUs (and equivalent memory) and GPU nodes will only track GPUs used.
The quota tools will eventually reflect this too.
Last submissions to Rocky 8 HPC Nodes possible until on July 27th 2025
Starting on July 27th: No further submissions to the Rocky 8 HPC nodes is possible. However, any jobs already in the queue will still run soon on remaining nodes.
All remaining Rocky 8 nodes will be migrated to Rocky 9 as they become available.
HPC Rocky Linux 9 Nodes
Yesterday we updated half of our available compute nodes to Rocky Linux 9. This reduced the available Rocky Linux 8 nodes by half and might lead to increase waiting times on the older OS nodes. We advice all users to continue migrating their workflows to Rocky Linux 9.
If you experience any further issues, please contact servicedesk@itc.rwth-aachen.de.
You can track any disruptions or security advisories that may occur due to the aforementioned change in the Email category on our status reporting portal.
QMSLportal 2.0.: Überarbeitete Darstellung von Befragungsergebnissen
Die Auswertung und Darstellung von Befragungsergebnissen wurden technisch neu aufgesetzt und direkt im QMSLportal integriert. Zusätzlich können nun Textbausteine zentral hinterlegt und in Berichten verwendet werden. Auch zahlreiche funktionale Verbesserungen sind hinzugekommen, wie ein überarbeitetes Rechtemanagement, neue Warn- und Informationstexte, ein integrierter Texteditor sowie optimierte Datenlinks.
Provision of NAG expires
Dear Users of CLAIX
Our license agreement with NAG is expiring on March 31, 2025. From that date on, we will stop providing software from NAG on CLAIX.
Your CLAIX Admins
RegApp Update
Yesterday we undertook a modernization of the RegApp infrastructure to enhance performance and maintainability. This included implementing containerization and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes. While the software of the RegApp remained unchanged, we reorganized the configuration distribution and service setups for better efficiency. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding as we work to enhance our systems. If you experience any further issues, please contact servicedesk@itc.rwth-aachen.de.
You can track any disruptions or security advisories that may occur due to the aforementioned change in the Email category on our status reporting portal.
Slurm Memory Usage
For all partitions we had to slightly decrease the maximum available memory. Please consider our documentation for all details.
