Running simulations in the cloud

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Amazon Web Services, or AWS for short, is a cloud computing platform created by Amazon. We use it to rent computational capacity when we need to run models or other computations in the cloud. There are two main ways of running computations on AWS; using an existing machine or using a spot instance. Both ways are outlined below.

AWS offers a whole host of different services, most of them named something incomprehensible. This handy glossary will help you decipher AWS's odd naming scheme.

Accessing AWS machines

TODO: Describe SSH procedure

Existing machines

TODO: AWS HOWTO

Spot instances

TODO: Scripts

Paying for time

Amazon requires that you add a credit card to the account that owns the virtual servers. This will then be charged per month for usage over the last calendar month. Note that the person who owns the account will need to do the reimbursement.

Cost reimbursement should be charged to the SES-LINK project. Use the following cost carriers in Primula:

 Project 1483701 EU SES Link  
 Department 481
 Project 1483701
 Unit 48110
 Cost carrier 481002

The expense should be recorded in Primula as an expense in foreign currency. Add it as "Laboratory supplies" and add a note saying that it's computation time. Attach the invoice from Amazon, and if desired a printout from your bank account so you get the correct exchange rate. Send these in as any other expense, and CC Maja on the e-mail so she can verify the expense to the project.

NetLogo in the cloud

Run headless on an AWS machine. Please see the NetLogo page for instructions on how to run NetLogo headless.

R in the clouds

Run a local script on a remote (fast) computer directly without RServer. Please see the R tips and tricks#R_in_the_clouds page.