Quick Start

This is a "quick start" introduction into using the HPC clusters at the University of Maryland. This covers the general activities most users will deal with when using the clusters.

There are currently three basic interfaces to the clusters, and the "quick start" instructions are substantially different for each. So we begin with a description of the interfaces, from which you can see the quick start for that interface. The three interfaces are:

Matlab Parallel Server (formerly Matlab Distributed Compute Server (MDCS)): If you only want to use Matlab, this interface allows you to run Matlab on your local workstation and submit jobs to run on the Zaratan cluster. There is a bit of setup required to do this, but this is a nice option if you are primarily going to use the Zaratan cluster to run Matlab, especially if you are not very familiar with Linux/Unix. For more information, see the page on the Matlab Parallel Server. This option is currently for the Zaratan and Juggernaut clusters only.
OpenOnDemand (OOD) portal: This is a web portal for general access to the Zaratan cluster. In addition to allowing shell access, it also has various "apps" allowing one to edit files, submit and monitor jobs without using the Linux command line. This is the recommended interface for users who are unfamiliar with or dislike Linux/Unix and are using the Zaratan cluster. Even users comfortable with Linux might wish to explore some of its features, especially those for interactive jobs. For more information, look at the quick start for OpenOnDemand page. This option is currently for the Zaratan and Juggernaut clusters only.
Linux command line: While this is a very powerful and feature-full interface, the Linux command line can have a steep learning curve. If you are not already familiar with the Linux command line and are using the Zaratan cluster, you might wish to consider using one of the other options. The following link will take you to the quick start for the command line..