High Performance Computing - Information Systems
Top of page
Information Systems
Toggle Navigation
Information Systems Announcement:
Main Content
The
Distributed Environment for Academic Computing
DEAC
) is Wake Forest University’s High-Performance Computing (HPC) Cluster. The facility was established in July 2002 to provide a centralized research computing environment for the entire University. The HPC Team provides a stable, robust, and accessible resource that allows the education and research communities to focus on their primary mission. Some benefits of the cluster are:
Flexibility:
The cluster and its staff support new technologies as they arise, such as thin client support for research computing or general-purpose GPU computing.
Reliability:
The computational platform is maintained by professional staff, dedicated to the facility.
Scalability:
The cluster can meet the needs of small research groups with big research problems or large research groups with many small research problems.
Support
: As high performance computing continues to grow into disciplines not traditionally accustomed to large computational environments, the dedicated staff provides training to new user groups.
The HPC Team supports the computational research community through:
Code Compilation:
We assist cluster users with compiling software to meet their research needs.
Computational and Storage Resources
: We design, install, maintain, and upgrade the WFU DEAC Cluster facility.
Education and Training
: From guest lecturing in computational courses to cluster tutorials to advanced programming design assistance, we are available to assist research groups in efficiently using the cluster.
Users of the DEAC Cluster should refer to the
DEAC User Wiki
for new user information, cluster specific information, quick start guides, detailed information about specific software available, recent changes and more.
Request an Account
There are multiple scenarios in which an account request to use the DEAC Cluster will be approved. Each revolves around research and learning at Wake Forest University, including, but not limited to:
Faculty
members pursuing active research or developing innovative course curriculum requiring the use of resources provided by the DEAC Cluster.
Students
whose advisor conducts research within the WFU DEAC Cluster, and the student’s advisor endorses the request for an account.
Students
who are enrolled in a course that has requested use of the WFU DEAC Cluster as part of an integral role in the course curriculum, ideally instructors will provided class rosters. The course related accounts shall only be valid for duration of the course.
External collaborators
who are not directly affiliated with Wake Forest University provided that the person is directly collaborating with and endorsed by a faculty member that has an existing account on the WFU DEAC Cluster. These accounts will also require the creation of a WFU guest account for VPN access, both shall be valid only for the length of the collaboration request and renewal will be needed if the collaboration extends beyond the original timeline.
Staff
members whose department head or supervisor endorses the request for access, and will be conducting research on behalf or in support of a faculty member (or Information Technology Group), or for the development and/or instruction of a course requiring the use of the WFU DEAC computing environment.
Request Access to the DEAC Cluster
Software
Several licensed software packages have been acquired and/or maintained by the DEAC Cluster facility for the benefit of research computing. The facility also makes available some research computing focused software that is licensed for the entire Wake Forest University community.
Wake Forest University faculty, staff, or students with an active cluster account may request software installation on the DEAC Cluster.
Please note:
if you are not a faculty member, your software request will need to be approved by a faculty sponsor. You may speed up the software installation process by having your faculty sponsor send an email to the support team (
) indicating your request is supported.
Photo Gallery
Cluster hardware delivery.
Presenting at The Cisco Live! Conference.
Guest lecturing with a class.
Inside a cluster GPU node.
Instructing at the Intro to HPC Class.
The SC18 Student Cluster Competition Team
Traveling to SC17 with Intro to HPC students.
The SC19 Student Cluster Competition Team.
The SC19 Student Cluster Competition Team.
Rack removal from campus data center.
Rack removal from campus data center.
The HPC booth at TechX 2020.
Service Links
Launch
DEAC User Wiki
Useful Links
HPC User DEAC Cluster Account Policy
Twitter Page
YouTube Channel
Training Resources
Request Access to DEAC Cluster