document access to Catalyst systems

[loveshack]

It's not at all obvious what to do to get access to a ThunderX2 system for porting/testing efforts which seem to be of interest. I assume the Catalyst ones are most appropriate, but I can't find any information about access. (Looking in SAFE, it's not clear whether support people can access Isambard for non-project-specific work and, if so, under which project.)

[loveshack]

I gather there isn't a proper service on the systems yet (at least at EPCC).

[aturner-epcc]

@loveshack There has not been any external Catalyst access advertised yet. You can apply for access to Isambard through the Tier2 RAP process: https://epsrc.ukri.org/funding/calls/rapopenaccesstier2autumn2019/

I will add this in the same way as listed for the other Tier2 sites.

[aturner-epcc]

@loveshack I have added GW4 Isambard to the RAP call information.

Will update with Catalyst once access routes are known.

[loveshack]

I think Isambard was already listed, but I assumed Catalyst would be more appropriate for R&D before finding there isn't general access. It's not clear to me if you can access Tier 2s for support/development purposes not associated with a specific project and, if so, what you should request in SAFE. (I was advised elsewhere to use a route bypassing UK academic processes for access to Isambard or Catalysts.)

[aturner-epcc]

@loveshack Some Tier 2 sites support lightweight (pump priming, seedcorn, instant) access routes that can be used for this. Unfortunately, GW4 Isambard is not currently one of those systems. SAFE would be the technical mechanism of getting an account, not the route of requesting access (i.e. once your access has been approved by a site/service you would use SAFE to get the actual machine account but you cannot apply for access through SAFE at the moment).

[aturner-epcc]

@loveshack I think R&D is a valid use of Tier-2 and Catalyst - neither is better suited to one use or the other. In terms of Arm specifically, I would think that having access to both Isambard and Catalyst would be the best way to go as they have different toolchains and this would allow you to assess if issues are specific to the system/toolchain or more generally applicable to Arm.