2025-09-12

ACENET: free training sessions for faculty and students now open for registration

The following September sessions may be of interest to faculty and students, and are free of charge. Registration is through our training portal — https://www.acenet.training/courses. There are more courses available for registration on the portal for October than listed here!

Introduction to ACENET and High Performance Computing (HPC)

16 September, 1000-1130hrs Atlantic / 1030-1200hrs NL (online)

What is High Performance Computing (HPC) and what can it do for me? How can ACENET help? Used by researchers across many disciplines to tackle analyses too large or complex for a desktop, or to achieve improved efficiency over a desktop, this session takes participants through the preliminary stages of learning about high performance computing (HPC) and computing clusters, and how to get started with this type of computing. It then reviews software packages available for applications, data analysis, software development and compiling code. Finally, participants will be introduced to the concept of parallel computing to achieve much faster results in analysis. This session is designed for those with no prior experience in HPC, and are looking for an introduction and overview.  

Introduction to the Linux Command Line

17 September, 1000-1130hrs Atlantic / 1030-1200hrs NL (online)

Linux is the terminal interface used to enable you to use the ACENET and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) HPC clusters from your desktop. It's the tool you need to get your data on the clusters, run your programs, and get your data back. In this session, learn how to get started with Linux, how to create and navigate directories for your data, load files, manage your storage, run programs on the computing clusters, and set file permissions. This workshop is designed for those with no prior experience in working with a terminal interface.

Introduction to Shell Scripting

18 September, 1000-1130hrs Atlantic / 1030-1200hrs NL (online)

Shell scripting helps you save time, automate file management tasks, and better use the power of Linux. You’ll learn how to use the command line to carry out repetitive tasks, extract information from files quickly, combine commands in powerful ways, learn about job scripts, shell variables and looping commands, and capture a workflow so you can re-use it easily. Save time, reduce errors, and use Linux more effectively. This workshop is designed for either new High Performance Computing (HPC) users who are familiar with working in a Linux environment, or for experienced users seeking to get more out of shell scripting.  

Job Scheduling with Slurm

19 September, 1000-1130hrs Atlantic / 1030-1200hrs NL (online)

The national systems use a job scheduler called “Slurm”. In this session you will learn how Slurm works and how it allocates jobs, helping you to: minimize wait time by framing reasonable requests; ask for only the resources you need to improve efficiency; increase throughput; run more jobs simultaneously; and troubleshoot and address crashes. This workshop is designed for new HPC users familiar with Linux and Shell Scripting, or for experienced users transitioning to Slurm or seeking to improve efficiency with the scheduler.  

Carpentries: Introduction to Computational Thinking

25 September, 1300-1600hrs Atlantic | 1330-1630hrs NL (online)

Computational thinking is an essential skill for anyone wanting to learn to program computers and write code. Designed for beginners curious about programming, but unsure where to begin, this workshop will take you through the steps involved in computational thinking –  learning how to break down complex problems into smaller parts, identify patterns, and design logical solutions that a computer can execute. Through hands-on activities, you will practice techniques such as problem decomposition, abstraction, and algorithmic thinking. By the end of the session, you will have a stronger foundation for approaching programming tasks with confidence, setting the stage for future coding and data-driven learning.