Creating Cloud Clusters

This guide explains how to create an elastic cluster that ACTIVATE provisions in a connected cloud account. If you want to connect infrastructure that your organization already operates, first compare the available compute resource types.

Before you begin, confirm that your organization has configured a cloud account and that you know which provider and configuration your project should use. If you are unsure, contact your ACTIVATE administrator.

Choose an Elastic Cluster Type

Users who are familiar with Slurm will generally be more comfortable with elastic clusters than elastic pools. Elastic pools are a legacy resource type and are not recommended for new resources.

The CSP you choose depends on your organization, workflow needs, and whether you already have a cloud account from a specific CSP. Otherwise, any elastic cluster is a good choice to start with.

Create the Resource

Navigate to the Clusters page and select + Add Resource.

Select an elastic cluster for the cloud service provider (CSP) your organization uses.

You must enter a Cluster Name. The Display Name, Description, and Tags are optional. If you leave Display Name blank, the cluster will default to the Cluster Name text.

Optionally, you can use the toggle button for Enable run time alert. When enabled, you'll receive an automated email from noreply@parallelworks.com at a set hourly interval, reminding you that your cluster is still running:

Dear {username},
 
This is an automated message to inform you that your cluster {cluster_name} has been running for {time} hours. Please take note of the following details:
 
Cluster name: {cluster_name}
Cluster start time: {start_date}
Total run time: {total_time}
Next alert time: {next_alert}
 
This alert can be turned off in the resource's properties page.
 
Sincerely,
 
Parallel Works

When you click the toggle button, the field for Alert Interval (Hours) will appear. The value you enter here determines how often you'll receive run time alerts.

When you're ready, click Add Resource. Your resource creation will be confirmed on the next page with the message Resource created. You can configure your resource from this page. For more information on configuring clusters generally or what you need to configure clusters on specific CSPs, please see Configuring Clusters.

Your new cluster will also appear in the Computing Resources module on the Home page.

How should I configure my resource?

If you’re simply testing resources or if your organization has not provided specific configuration settings for your project, we recommend using a configuration from the Marketplace. For more information, please see Configuring Clusters > Load From Market.