Access & calls

The procedure for submitting an HPC resource request consists of submitting projects to open and competitive calls for researchers from Spanish and European institutions. Depending on the type of activity, the application form will be different. For example, in the case of a continuation activity, the form is simplified, or in the case of a pre-reservation, it must be requested in a separate section within the RES Intranet. 

The resource request on the RES Intranet can be saved as many times as necessary before the deadline. We strongly recommend doing so to avoid possible last-minute errors and issues.

To obtain accurate information about the documentation and details required to request RES resources, you can consult the following documents: 

• RES Access Protocol: With all the necessary information about accessing RES resources
• RES Application Guide: Detailing all the information the user must provide in the application form

At the end of an activity, it is necessary to complete an information dissemination form, available in the RES Intranet.

HPC and AI activities have a duration of 6 months, so the calls are bi-annual:

There are different types of activities depending on the user's experience and the expected duration:

• Ordinary activities: These are standard activities with a duration of 6 months that follow the limitations established in the access protocol. If more time is needed, a continuation activity can be requested once the initial 6-month activity has been completed:
  
  
  • Continuation activities: They can only be requested after completing an approved ordinary activity and can be linked consecutively. They have priority for allocation to the previously assigned machine, and the application form is simplified.
    
    
• Fast access activities: These are activities designed for projects with low computational requirements that allow quick access to shared RES machine resources. Access is granted through the use of non-priority resources, without exclusive use, and without guaranteed response time. The evaluation of this type of proposal is carried out weekly. 
  
  
• Pre-reservations: If you are planning a European research project and need to use RES resources, you can make a pre-reservation linked to that project. If your pre-reservation is approved, you will receive a RES commitment letter confirming that these resources will be available for your project. These are directly linked to the granting and execution of that project, and not to any other. Only available for HPC and AI activities. Read more...

The Access Committee for RES resources is composed of 4 members who serve a 4-year term. Each year, the committee undergoes a 25% renewal, meaning one member is replaced annually to ensure the committee's proper functioning. The members of the committee are as follows: 

• An external manager with expertise in innovation management
  
• A representative from the Spanish Research Agency
  
• A supercomputing expert from BSC-CNS
  
• A supercomputing expert from RES and external to BSC
  
  

The Access Committee is advised by two Expert Panels to ensure the quality of the selected proposals: 

• The Technical Panel: whose members are appointed by RES nodes and are responsible for evaluating applications from a technical perspective.
  
• The Scientific Panel: composed of internationally recognized scientists in the scientific fields that can categorize a project submitted to RES.

Each application is reviewed by two reviewers from the corresponding area of the Scientific Panel to prioritize all submissions. Simultaneously, the Technical Panel evaluates the technical feasibility, and finally, both evaluations are submitted to the Access Committee, which publishes the final list of accepted activities based on the available resources.

When applying to a RES call, there are six scientific areas to categorize your research project. Currently, these scientific areas are:

If the category suitable for your project is not listed (e.g., it is a Social Sciences project), it means we do not receive enough applications in that category to create a specific panel. In this case, or if you are unsure where to categorize your project, please contact us at applications@bsc.es.

The tests are designed for users utilizing supercomputing resources for the first time in their project, allowing them to test algorithms and code for use in an HPC or AI activity. Due to their trial nature, the tests require a reduced computing time and receive special support from the support teams.

The test call is always open, and reviews will be conducted as quickly as possible to ensure fast access, but without a fixed deadline.

Quantum computing resources can be accessed through the same form as the other activities. Due to the specific nature of these resources, the form must be completed following specific guidelines. The entire application process for QUANTUM resources is thoroughly explained in the Quantum Resources Access Guide. 

The process to access DATA resources is essentially the same as for accessing HPC resources. 

The main difference between the two modalities lies in the nature of the projects, and therefore, the consultation documentation differs. For precise information on the documentation and details required to request RES DATA resources, you can refer to the following documents: 

• RES Access Protocol: Contains all the necessary information on accessing RES resources.
  
• RES Data Services Application Guide: Details all the information users must provide in the Data Management Plan.
  
  

The minimum size required to carry out a data project is 200 TB, in order to fully take advantage of the capabilities of the RES nodes. Although there is no stipulated limit, typically projects larger than 1 PB are the upper limit for submitted projects.