• Which HPC resources/systems are available?
• How to apply for HPC resources?
• Frequently asked questions?
• How to get a user account?
• How to use the HPC systems?
• How to get support?
• How do I have to submit a project report?
• Which formal regulations apply?
• Resource Access Eligibility Rules

Researchers can submit proposals for access to HPC resources operated by the Paderborn Center for Parallel Computing (PC²).  System access is granted in a science-guided  competitive process based on a technical and scientific review of the proposed project and the verification of the eligibility of the principal investigator. For low computing resource demands and teaching purposes, simplified rules apply (more details below)

Besides access to HPC we provide a portfolio of preinstalled applications and offer support for software installation/configuration of project-specific applications. We advise our users on using the resources in an efficient way. In particular, we provide specialized consulting services for the user communities of atomistic simulations, optoelectronics and quantum photonics, and machine learning for intelligent systems. Furthermore, PC² encourages approximate computing and the acceleration of applications with Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA). Proposals from young scientists and underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged.

Please use pc2-support(at)uni-paderborn(dot)de for all communication with PC².

The following system are available at PC²:

Main systems:

1. Noctua
2. OCuLUS (Owl CLUSter) (till Q1 2022)
3. Noctua2 (NHR-System, available early 2022)

Special-purpose or systems for closed groups of users:

1. FPGA Research Clusters
2. ​​​​​​​Pling3

Scientists can apply for HPC resources required for their research activities. The requested resources are managed as a project with a specified duration of up to one year. If necessary, a project can be renewed after one year by following the process of submitting a new application.
Applications have to be submitted through the Online project application system (PC²-JARDS)  and must comply to the project classification, resource allowance and eligibility criteria listed in the following table.

(*) Global= Research and teaching institutions worldwide
     DE = Academic institutions in Germany
     NRW = Research institutions located in North Rhine-Westphalia (State NRW)
     UPB = Paderborn University
(**) Noctua2 available early 2022

• Quick Reference Card for the application of HPC resources at PC²

• Which academic level/title is required for a principal investigator (PI)?
  Answer: The PI needs to be a Professor or the PI needs to have a doctor's degree (Ph.D., Dr.).
• How many small projects can a PI have?
  Answer: A PI can have multiple small projects but the sum of the granted resources must not exceed the limits for a small project.
• Can the resources of a project be increased after it has been granted?
  Answer: Yes but different rules apply depending on the project category. Please contact pc2-support(at)uni-paderborn(dot)de.
• Can projects run for more than one year?
  Answer: Yes, but the computing resources are granted on a yearly basis.

• Members of the Paderborn University have to use their IMT account.
• Scientists without an IMT account have to apply for an account (pdf).
  Please send the information to pc2-support(at)uni-paderborn(dot)de

• Status of cluster systems
• Instructions for using Noctua
• Instructions for using OCuLUS
• Instructions for using the HARP2-FPGA system

• Our main contact for problems, support and questions: pc2-support(at)uni-paderborn(dot)de
• HPC and Domain-Specific Consulting
• Our weekly HPC-consultation hour.
• Our HPC courses and other HPC Teaching/Trainings.

• The general rule is that a final report has to be submitted at most 30 days after the end of the project to pc2-support(at)uni-paderborn(dot)de as stated in the terms-of-use.
• Templates for a detailed final report can be found at Forms and Documents.
• Exceptions exist for projects in the small category and can be found at in Forms and Documents.
• The resource allocation board (RAB) can grant exceptions for projects with a low resource usage upon request. Please direct this request to pc2-support(at)uni-paderborn(dot)de.

Please send the information to pc2-support(at)uni-paderborn(dot)de

• Terms of Use
• Datenschutzerklärung (in German, Privacy Policy)
  • Old version 1.1 from 27. June 2019
  • Old version 1.0 from 17. January 2019
• This Acknowledgement Statement has to be included in all publications that used PC² systems, resources or support services.

The conditions for accessing our HPC systems are mandated by the grant agreement rules of the funding agency as well as federal law, state law, and university regulations. The eligibility of the applicant is checked as part of the computing time proposal reviewing process.

The most important rules are summarized below.

1. Our HPC systems shall be primarily used for quality controlled i.e. peer-reviewed research. Use for teaching purposes is also permissible but the amount of resources that can be requested is substantially lower.
2. Our computing infrastructure is publicly funded and can therefore only be used for research that makes the results available to the general public.
   1. Foundational research funded by DFG or ERC is generally eligible to be executed on our HPC systems.
   2. Collaborative research between academic and industrial partners, e.g. funded by BMBF, BMWi, European Commissions typically also qualifies for being executed on our HPC systems, if the results are public.
   3. Contract research where results are confidential is typically not eligible to be executed on our systems.
3. The institution association of the principal investigator of a computing time proposal determines which computer systems can be used:
   1. Members of Paderborn University can use our Tier 3 HPC systems (currently Oculus) for small research projects and education as well as a part of our Tier 2 system (currently Noctua) for large research projects free of charge.
   2. Members from research institutions in NRW that do not operate HPC systems can use our Tier 3 HPC systems (currently Oculus) for small research projects and education free of charge.
   3. Members from research institutions in NRW can use our Tier 3 HPC systems (currently Oculus) also for large research projects and education free of charge.
   4. Scientists at any research institution in Germany can apply for access for our Tier 2 HPC systems (currently Noctua). The use is free of charge and these applications are evaluated using the review process explained above.
   5. Scientists of research and teaching institutions worldwide can be granted access to selected HPC systems in the context of a research collaboration with PC², e.g., for evaluating novel hard and software technologies. Interested parties are advised to send an informal inquiry to pc2-support(at)uni-paderborn(dot)de before submitting a formal application to discuss the possibilities.
4. Citizens of countries that are subject to the export control policy of the German Federal Government may need additional authorization from the German Federal Office Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) before they are allowed to use our HPC systems.