General Environment
The Center for High Performance Computing (CHPC) operates a General Environment for research projects that do not involve sensitive or regulated data. The environment provides Linux and Windows computing resources, research data storage, and browser-based access to CHPC systems.
If you are unsure which CHPC environment is appropriate for your data, contact helpdesk@chpc.utah.edu before beginning your project.
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Resources in the General Environment
The CHPC General Environment resources include:
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Open OnDemand, a browser-based interface for accessing the Linux clusters, managing files and jobs, and running graphical applications
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Beehive, a Windows computing environment
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Storage resources, including home directories, group space, scratch file systems, and archive storage
- Virtual machines, available for groups or projects needing to host websites and/or other applications
Starting or Joining a Group in the General Environment
Researchers who need to create a new project or group must submit a new group request through the CHPC Portal. If you need access to an existing group, the group's principal investigator can invite you to their group. The invitation will be sent via email - accepting the invite will automatically create a CHPC account for you if one is not yet active as well as add you to that group's resources. An e-mail notification with basic instructions will be sent when the account is created.
Request a new project or group
Connecting to the General Environment
After your CHPC account has been created and you have access to a resource group, you can connect to the General Environment using one of the following methods:
- Open OnDemand provides browser-based access to CHPC resources. Users can manage and transfer files, open a terminal on a Linux cluster, create and monitor jobs, and launch graphical or interactive applications. Because it requires minimal experience with Linux commands or the Slurm scheduler, Open OnDemand is often the easiest option for users new to HPC.
- SSH provides command-line access to the General Environment’s Linux clusters. This method is well suited for users who are comfortable working in a terminal and want to manage files, load software, write job scripts, submit Slurm jobs, or monitor computational workloads directly from the command line.
- FastX provides a remote Linux desktop, a command-line terminal, and supports graphical applications. It can be accessed through a web browser or installed as a desktop client. FastX is useful when a workflow requires session persistence or a graphical application.
- Remote Windows Desktop, available via the "Beehive" Windows environment, is a useful connection option for researchers who are more familiar with a Windows environment and/or need Windows-specific desktop and statistical applications. A campus VPN connection is required when connecting from off campus.