Advantages of using HPC

Using the central HPC service has advantages for both the researcher and their School.

Advantages for the researcher

The gains from using HPC are typically due to one or more of these factors:

  • Bigger jobs - 360 cores for 2 days = 90 days on an 8-core PC
  • Faster turn-around - Get your results in hours rather than weeks
  • Many jobs at once - for example: 30 jobs at once, no need for 30 PCs on your desk

 This means you can work on bigger problems and spend less time waiting around for results.

Advantages for the University

Combining workloads onto a central system reduces wastage due to underuse of resources and improves energy efficiency.

Using this central HPC service saves Schools and Departments from:

  • Purchase and running costs for additional PCs, workstations and servers
  • Systems management
  • User support
  • Keeping large numbers of hot and noisy PCs and workstations in office spaces