Supercomputer System HBW2 TOP
Japanese
Supercomputer System HBW2 TOP


# Applications for new RIKEN projects will be accepted from April 2, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.

1. Supercomputer HOKUSAI Bigwaterfall2(HBW2) System
2. HBW2 Use Categories
3. Usage Agreement and Operation Procedur
4. Application for use of RIKEN Project
5. User responsibility

1. Supercomputer HOKUSAI Bigwaterfall2(HBW2) System

Purpose

RIKEN is Japan’s only comprehensive research institute for the natural sciences and conducts research and development in a wide range of fields. The supercomputer HOKUSAI BigWaterfall2 (HBW2) has been established to carry out research that contributes to the promotion and development of the Institute’s mission of scientific and technological research.

System overview
  • Operational period: from 4 December 2023 to the end of November 2029.
  • MPC.
    • FUJITSU Server PRIMERGY CX2550 M7 312 node, 34,944 cores, 2.12 PFlops
    • Intel Xeon Max (1.9 GHz, 56 cores), 2 CPUs/node
    • 128 GiB (HBM2e, 3.26 TB/s), M.2 SSD 960 GB, IB NDR 400 Gbps
  • Shared storage
    • 9.8 PB, EXAScaler (Lustre) file system, 400 GB/s

See also the User’s Guide for information on HBW2 hardware and available software.
For HBW2 subsystem, see HBW2 Subsystem.
For details on software for research, see Software Licences for Research (from within RIKEN only).

Related systems

The HOKUSAI shared-use computers consist of the supercomputer HOKUSAI BigWaterfall2 (HBW2) and the data science platform HOKUSAI SailingShip (HSS).
For those wishing to use GPUs for AI-related research, see also RAIDEN, a large computer for deep learning analysis (only from within RIKEN) owned by the Research Centre for Innovative Intelligence and Integration.

2. HBW2 Use Categories

The total computing resources of MPC for FY2024 are as follows

MPC 301,916 Kilo-core hours
1. RIKEN project(RBXXXXX)
  • Available only to those within RIKEN
  • Can be applied at any time via the HBW2 portal
  • A free allocation is available for each project (1% of MPC’s total annual computation time).
    • If you start in the middle of the fiscal year, the amount is proportional to the remaining time.
  • Additional core hours can be added for a usage fee and can be applied for on the HBW2 Portal.
    • Job execution with a project ID RAXXXXX for paid execution.
  • If the free quota is used up, the work can be performed free of charge in excess of the quota, although it will be at a lower priority level.
  • HBW2 Subsystem (Large memory/GPU/FPGA servers) are available.
2. HPCI project(HPXXXXX)
  • Available to people inside and outside RIKEN
  • Apply once a year via the HPCI application system (application period is around September-October of the previous year)
  • Free of charge and available on a large scale
  • For HPCI project, see About HPCI Project.
Storage use
  • Home area (/home)
    • 4 TB per HBW2 account free of charge and cannot be increased
  • Data area (/data)
    • Available per project. For RIKEN projects, it are subject to usage fee and can be applied for on the HBW2 Portal.
Usage fees

HBW2 is available free of charge to RIKEN researchers to a certain degree.
For more information on the usage fees, see Usage Fee of HBW2.

3. Usage Agreement and Operation Procedure

Please read and observe the Usage Agreement and Operation Procedures before use.

Supercomputer Systems Usage Agreement Update & Enforced: April 1, 2024
Supercomputer Systems Operation Procedure Update: April, 2024

*The English version of the Usage Agreement is tentative, as it is currently under English review.

4.Application for Use of RIKEN Project

HBW2 Portal

Various applications and confirmations can be made via the HBW2 Portal.

Types of account etc. in HBW2
  • HBW2 Portal users
    • Required to become an project member of HBW2
    • Created by entering user information when logging in to the HBW2 Portal for the first time
    • You can apply for new projects, and can make various applications and information related to your projects
  • HBW2 account
    • Linux account required to use HBW2 computing resources.
    • Created when you become an project member for the first time.
    • Log in to the HBW2 front-end server by registering your ssh public key at the HBW2 Portal.
Flow of use for RIKEN project
  1. All project members log in to the HBW2 Portal and register the HBW2 Portal users.
  2. Apply for a new project on the HBW2 Portal
    • If there are non-residents, a security export control review is required as soon as they are ready.
    • Notification of creating a new project and HBW2 accounts within a few days if there are no problems.
  3. Each project member registers their ssh public key on the HBW2 Portal.
  4. Login to the HBW2 front-end server using ssh
Log in to the HBW2 Portal
  • Log in using the Integrated Authentication infrastructure (Shibboleth authentication)
    • Available to all RIKEN members, including Visiting Scientists.
  • If you do not know your password for the Integrated Authentication Infrastructure (Shibboleth authentication), you can change the password according to the “How to reset Okta” in Okta/Shibboleth (Single Sign-On/MFA)
HBW data
  • Access to backup data in the home area (/home) and data area (/data) of HBW is available until the trial operation.
  • Access to hierarchical storage (/arc) is scheduled until FY2024.
    • Future operation of the tape device is under consideration.
When your affiliation or status changes within RIKEN
  • If your affiliation or status changes, please access the HBW2 Portal to update or confirm* your user information.
    *Information System Division may update your information.
When resigning or changing RIKEN email address
  • When a project member resigns from RIKEN, please delete them as a member of the project in the HBW2 Portal.
  • If you wish to close the project, please submit a request for ‘Close Project’ from the ‘Other’ menu in the HBW2 Portal.
  • If you change your status (e.g., Visiting Scientist), be sure to set up a forwarding address for your RIKEN A-mail address of “@a.riken.jp”.
    • For more information on RIKEN A-mail, please refer to the FAQ.
  • After you have been appointed as a Visiting Researcher, please access the HBW2 portal to update or confirm* your user information.
    *Information System Division may also update your information.
  • If you wish to continue using the service when you temporarily lose your RIKEN status, please contact .

5. User Responsibility

Security Export Control

If there are non-residents or specific categories of non-residents in the RIKEN project members, a review form must be drafted and approved by the Research Integrity and Economic Security Division.
When you submit a new RIKEN project application, please have it reviewed at that time.
If you have already used an HBW2 trial project and have not had your review form approved, please have it reviewed at this time.

If you have any questions about the review process, please contact the Security Export Control Officer (anzenhosyo [at] riken.jp) of the Research Integrity and Economic Security Division.
Please note that if you are not familiar with security export control, please consult with your laboratory assistant or someone else who is familiar with the subject.
The web page of the Research Integrity and Economic Security Division on security export control(from within RIKEN only).

Request for Acknowledgements

It is necessary to acknowledge the use of the supercomputer system of RIKEN in any publications or research products. We would like to remind you about the acknowledgement when you make a publications on your research achievement.

Those whose main employer is not RIKEN are required to include their affiliation at RIKEN or coauthor at RIKEN in their publications.

Logo and Photo

HOKUSAI photos and logo data are distributed to HOKUSAI users for research presentations and other purposes. If you wish to use the data, please contact us at with the purpose of use.

Contact

To inquire about HBW2, please see HBW2 Contact.