About the CISM

The CISM is the UCLouvain technological platform for supercomputing. The initials “CISM” stand for “Calcul Intensif et Stockage de Masse”, i.e. high-performance computing (HPC) and mass storage. It was created in 2004 at UCLouvain by the users of the HPC facilities coming from different Departments of the University. The CISM operates the scientific computing clusters and the scientific data storage systems installed at UCLouvain, organizes and delivers HPC training sessions targeted at researchers and offers consultancy and expertise in code porting, optimization, and compilation. It is governed by user representatives and is part of the CÉCI consortium gathering supercomputing facilities in the five French-speaking universities in Belgium.

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The CISM team is composed six people specialized in high-peformance computing and/or mass storage.

Users can get involved by representing their colleagues at the Board, or Comité des Utilisateurs (CUCISM) in French. The CUCISM gathers approximately three times a year to make decisions about daily management of the clusters as well as short-term infrastructure planning. Longer-term strategic decisions are made inside a management comity, or “Comité de Gestion” (CGCISM), where each involved institute is represented. CGCISM gathers approximately twice a year.

The CISM is part of the “Consortium des Équipements de Calcul Intensif” since its creation in November 2010 as a means to share HPC facilities and resources, and mutualize HPC kow-how and expertise among the universities.

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Current partners include Université catholique de Louvain / CISM, Université Libre de Bruxelles / SISC, Université de Namur / PTCI, Université de Mons / LPSI , CMN and INFO, and Université de Liège / SEGI.

The services

The CISM offers multiple services related to high-performance computing and mass storage:

  • Cluster computing: working on clusters of several dozens computers in batch jobs
  • Interactive computing : working on large computers through an SSH or a web connection
  • Mass storage : storing terabytes of data reliably
  • Data sharing : sharing data with colleagues in a controlled way
  • Support and training : getting help when needed