Compute
ACTIVATE can provision compute in a cloud account or connect infrastructure that your organization already operates. Choose a resource type based on who owns the infrastructure and how much of it you want ACTIVATE to manage.
Choose a Compute Resource
| Resource type | Best when | What ACTIVATE manages | Start here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provisioned cloud cluster | You want on-demand compute in a connected cloud account | Provisions the cluster from an ACTIVATE configuration and lets you start, stop, and reconfigure it | Create a cloud cluster |
| Managed cluster | Your organization operates a Linux HPC cluster and wants a shared ACTIVATE integration | Monitors registered nodes, can synchronize access, and supports connections through outbound agent tunnels; it does not provision the hardware | Set up a managed cluster |
| Existing cluster | You need a connection from your ACTIVATE account to an HPC cluster whose administrators already manage identities and access | Stores the connection definition and uses your existing cluster account and authentication | Configure an existing cluster |
| Specialized integration | Your infrastructure requires provider-specific identity or connection steps | Depends on the integration | Connect a CoreWeave Slurm cluster |
Provisioned Cloud or Connected Infrastructure?
Choose a provisioned cloud cluster when ACTIVATE should create the compute infrastructure for you. A cloud account and its supporting network, storage, and permissions must already be available to ACTIVATE.
Choose a managed cluster when an organization administrator wants to expose one shared, organization-owned cluster to users through centralized permissions, monitoring, and optional access synchronization. An administrator installs the ACTIVATE agent on the nodes that ACTIVATE will manage.
Choose an existing cluster when each user only needs an SSH connection to infrastructure managed outside ACTIVATE. Users connect with an account and authentication method that already exist on that cluster.
Use a specialized integration when the infrastructure has additional provider-specific requirements. For example, CoreWeave Slurm uses an existing-cluster connection plus separate identity synchronization. If you want to run Kubernetes workloads instead of connecting to an HPC scheduler, start with Kubernetes.
Set Up and Use Your Resource
The setup journey depends on the resource type:
- Confirm ownership and access. For cloud clusters, confirm that ACTIVATE has access to the cloud account. For connected infrastructure, coordinate with its Linux, scheduler, identity, and network administrators.
- Create or connect the resource. Follow the setup guide linked in the table above.
- Validate access. Confirm that the resource appears in Compute > Clusters and test a connection with a pilot user before expanding access.
- Run work. Use the resource to run workflows, open interactive sessions, or submit Slurm jobs, according to the capabilities of that resource.
- Monitor and operate it. Review resource and job activity under Compute and Monitoring. Cloud infrastructure remains subject to its provider's usage charges while it is running.
Not sure which connected-cluster option to choose?
Use a managed cluster when you need a shared organization-level integration, node monitoring, agent tunnels, or ACTIVATE-managed Linux access. Use an existing cluster when you only need an individual connection profile.