Getting Started
The HPC systems operated by our centre are available to the Slovak academic community, public administration institutions, as well as companies and industry. They support research and development in fields such as artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, quantum chemistry, and many others.
Our mission is to provide researchers with powerful computational tools that accelerate scientific and technological progress.
Access to and use of HPC systems are governed by the HPC Access Policy and the Terms of Use for High-Performance Computing Resources.
Eligible Users
Currently, HPC systems operated by our centre are available free of charge to users from public universities, the Slovak Academy of Sciences, and public administration organisations.
Registration
To start using our HPC resources, you must first REGISTER and create an account in the User Portal.
After completing the registration form and successfully verifying your identity, you will receive an email notification containing instructions for setting up your password and two-factor authentication. You can then upload your SSH key and create a project application.
Projects
Access to computational resources is provided exclusively through project-based access schemes. All applications for access must be submitted via the User Portal.
By submitting an application, users agree to comply with the conditions of the respective call as well as with the principles of responsible use of HPC systems. Once a project has been approved, users may start running computational jobs.
Overview of Access Schemes
| Testing and Benchmark Access | Standard Project Access | Commercial / EDIH Access | |
| Eligible Applicants | Academic and public sector (open R&D) | Academic and public sector (open R&D) | Private sector, academia, and public sector |
| Application Type | Technical application | Full project application | Technical application |
| Call Frequency | Continuous | Every 4 months | Continuous |
| Evaluation | Technical review by HPC Centre staff | Scientific peer review and technical review | Technical review by HPC Centre staff |
| Evaluation Time | Up to 5 working days | 2–3 weeks | N/A – access granted through a commercial or EDIH agreement |
| Resource Allocation | Up to 4 months; 50,000 CPU core-hours; 12,500 GPU-hours (1 GPU-hour = 16 CPU core-hours) | Up to 1 year; renewable once; allocations based on project requirements | Individual (dynamic allocation) |
| Prerequisites | None | A testing project to estimate resource requirements is strongly recommended | None |
Overview of access schemes for high-performance computing resources.
TESTING AND BENCHMARK PROJECTS
The call for Testing and Benchmark Access is continuously open.
Applicants are required to submit a technical application through the User Portal. The time between submission and notification of the applicant is typically no more than five working days. Applications are evaluated by the technical staff of the HPC Centre.
Jobs running under this access scheme are assigned lower priority than jobs within the Standard Project Access scheme. They are allocated a smaller share of computational and storage resources and are also limited in duration.
Testing access is primarily intended to help users estimate computational requirements before applying for a standard project allocation.
STANDARD PROJECTS
Computational resources within this access scheme are intended for addressing a specific research problem or scientific objective.
Applicants must submit a project proposal describing the planned research activities and estimated computational requirements. We strongly recommend estimating resource requirements through the Testing and Benchmark Access scheme before submitting a standard project application.
Applications may only be submitted through the User Portal. Three calls for proposals are organised each year.
Projects are evaluated by an expert review committee. Each proposal is assessed by two independent scientific reviewers and by the technical staff of the HPC Centre.
Allocations are granted for one year, with the possibility of extension.
When evaluating requests for project extensions or renewed access, the review process takes into account scientific outputs resulting from the project as well as participation in the HPC User Conference.
Allocation of Computational Resources
Within the Standard Project Access calls, project proposals are typically reviewed by two independent experts in the relevant scientific field.
Both the scientific merit and technical feasibility of the proposal are assessed. Based on the peer-review evaluation, the internal HPC Centre committee assigns CPU and GPU allocations to individual projects according to the reviewers’ recommendations.
Workflow of the Standard Project Access application process.
For more detailed information about access policies and the use of HPC systems, please visit the Documents section.