Aire User Documentation

Aire User Documentation#

This site documents information relevant to users of Aire, the High Performance Computing (HPC) facility at the University of Leeds. It is oriented towards researchers with basic experience using a Unix-like command line interface (CLI).

Launched on the 6th of February 2025, Aire is the University of Leeds’ latest HPC system, bringing cutting-edge computational power to support research across disciplines. With major upgrades in computing power, memory, and storage, Aire is set to enhance data processing and streamline research workflows.

Upgrading from ARC3 and ARC4

Aire is the new HPC system replacing the ARC3 and ARC4 systems. The new system significantly increases compute capacity for the community while delivering a modern, maintainable software and programming environment.

Please be aware that:

  • New login and management nodes have been installed, meaning users of the old systems need to get a new account on Aire.

  • Storage is not shared between different systems, so if you need to retain data from the old systems, you must transfer it yourself.

ARC3 System Retirement Notice

The ARC3 system is now retired from service. All remaining hardware will be physically removed, and all data will be permanently lost.

Key dates to note:

  • 1st November 2024: ARC3 account registration period closed.

  • 2nd December 2024: Batch and interactive access to all compute resources withdrawn.

  • 28th April 2025: Final decommissioning. The remaining ARC3 hardware will be physically removed, and all data on this system will be irretrievably lost.

ARC4 System Retirement Notice

ARC4 is scheduled for complete shutdown and decommissioning. All data on this system will be permanently lost after decommissioning.

Key dates to note:

  • 1st April 2025: No new user accounts will be created on ARC4.

  • 20th June 2025: Compute job queues will be disabled. ARC4 will no longer accept new jobs, and all running jobs will be terminated.

  • 20th August 2025: Final decommissioning. Access to ARC4 storage will be permanently disabled, and all data will be irretrievably lost.

Warning

If you have data stored on ARC4, you must transfer it to another system before 20th August 2025. After this date, no further access to ARC4 will be possible.

See also

To expand your expertise, you might be interested in exploring the training courses offered by the Research Computing team. Also, check out the HPC Architecture section for a basic introduction to the system.