# Compute

> Source: https://parallelworks.com/docs/compute

# 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](/docs/compute/creating-clusters) |
| **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](/docs/compute/managed-clusters) |
| **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](/docs/compute/configuring-existing-clusters) |
| **Specialized integration** | Your infrastructure requires provider-specific identity or connection steps | Depends on the integration | [Connect a CoreWeave Slurm cluster](/docs/compute/connecting-coreweave-slurm) |

### 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](/docs/kubernetes).

## Set Up and Use Your Resource

The setup journey depends on the resource type:

1. **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.
2. **Create or connect the resource.** Follow the setup guide linked in the table above.
3. **Validate access.** Confirm that the resource appears in **Compute > Clusters** and test a connection with a pilot user before expanding access.
4. **Run work.** Use the resource to [run workflows](/docs/run/workflows/running-workflows), open [interactive sessions](/docs/run/sessions), or [submit Slurm jobs](/docs/compute/submitting-jobs), according to the capabilities of that resource.
5. **Monitor and operate it.** Review resource and job activity under **Compute** and [Monitoring](/docs/monitoring). Cloud infrastructure remains subject to its provider's usage charges while it is running.

:::tip 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.
:::