Interactive Computing Resources
Interactive computing workflows require iteratively writing code, viewing results, and then writing additional code—a common process when conducting data analysis, developing new data processing pipelines, visualizing data, or troubleshooting code.
Systems designed for interactive computing provide internet browser-based frontends or graphical user interfaces (GUI), backed by computing resources that exceed those of a typical laptop.
Please include the Acknowledgment of Use when publishing research done using Quest.
Available Resources
Quest
Quest, Northwestern’s high-performance computing (HPC) cluster, provides several ways for users to work interactively utilizing Quest’s hardware and data storage platform.
- Quest Analytics Nodes: The Quest Analytics Nodes provide RStudio, Jupyter, and SAS Studio interfaces directly in a web browser. They use the same data storage system as Quest, allowing users to easily switch back and forth between interactive code development and submitting batch jobs. They are suitable for workflows that require low or moderate computational resources. The Quest Analytics Nodes are available to all Quest users with a current account.
- Quest OnDemand: Quest OnDemand is a web browser-based interface to request Quest resources, including GPUs, for interactive use. It allows users to run software with GUIs such as MATLAB, RStudio, or Jupyter, with access to more cores or memory than is available through the Quest Login Nodes or Quest Analytics Nodes. Quest OnDemand is available to all Quest users with a current account.
The Kellogg Linux Cluster (KLC), comprising dedicated resources on Quest available to researchers in the Kellogg School of Management and School of Education and Social Policy, is also designed to support interactive computational workflows.
Learn More and Get Started with Quest
NUWorkspace
NUWorkspace provides access to multiple licensed software programs through a virtual Windows desktop service. It is designed to support small or moderate computational workflows. It is best suited for situations where access to a particular software application is needed infrequently or for a limited period of time. It is available to all Northwestern students, faculty, and staff; no separate account is required.
External Resources
ACCESS, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), supports researchers across domains, with or without NSF grants, with free access to computational resources. A wide range of systems are available, including Jetstream2 which is specifically designed for interactive workflows. ACCESS systems also support Science Gateways, which provide domain-specific web-based interfaces to specialized workflows. Many ACCESS resources also offer Open OnDemand web-based interfaces to the clusters.
Research Computing and Data Services computational specialists can help Northwestern researchers evaluate ACCESS resources and submit an application.
Connect with a Computational Specialist
Cloud Computing
Public cloud services, such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, can be a good option for computational workflows requiring resources not available on Quest. Use cases include databases, archival storage, secure computing, and application hosting.
Research Computing and Data Services staff can assist you with setting up cloud accounts under Northwestern contracts with the providers, estimate cloud computing costs, design cloud computing workflows, and advise on security and best practices.