Research Computing

Research computing is broadly defined as the use of computing and data resources for research, which are beyond the capabilities of the average desktop or laptop computer.

Typically, this involves using leading-edge IT resources to undertake research. Techniques such as computational simulation and modelling, storage and manipulation of large datasets and other methods are leveraged to pursue research which otherwise could not be investigated.

Current provision

ISS facility manage high performance computing (HPC) facilities on behalf of a consortium of users across the University from a broad range of research areas. The main workhorse of the current provision comprises a >400-core AMD Opteron Cluster 'Everest' with users from Mathematics, Physics, Food Science, Chemistry, Medicine, Biology, Earth and Environment, Geography, Computing, Mechanical Engineering and SPEME.

Work ranges from throughput work to parallel calculations, which take advantage of the shared memory within a multi-processor machine or distribute a single calculation across several computers which communicate through a specialised network.

These facilities form part of the White Rose Grid

- a collaborative venture between the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York. The White Rose Grid operates is one of the UK's e-Science centres, funded through the UK e-Science core programme, and hosts a node of the National Grid Service (NGS) .

For more details on the current service provision please see the Wiki for high end computing, which includes documentation on access and use of the local HPC facility.