Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for an account?
Follow the steps in Set Up a User Account.
I want to use <insert application name> on HAL. Can you install it?
First, check if the application you want to use supports ppc64le architecture. HAL uses IBM’s POWER9 architecture to achieve improved multi-GPU performance, but this means that common x86 software may not work on HAL.
If an application states it supports ppc64le, it still may not work on HAL, because the older POWER8 architecture uses the same ppc64le identifier but is not 100% compatible. We are happy to help you test the application if this is the case.
After you identify a version of the application that supports POWER9, see the following guidelines for installation:
Is the application free and open source?
Closed-source applications may have license terms that apply to research institutions. “Classroom” or “student” licenses are typically invalid for multi-user clusters like HAL.
If you have a license for personal use, you can install it in your home directory. We will not approve a request to install such an application system wide.
Closed-source applications also need to have stated official support for IBM POWER9. Adding support for a new architecture is a complex project that can take more than a year, especially without the support of an open-source community.
Not all open-source applications can run on all architectures. If an open-source application doesn’t have official support for IBM POWER9, check with the developers to see if it has any dependencies that don’t work on IBM POWER9.
Sometimes, the application itself is architecture-independent, but some of its dependencies are not, so it still won’t work. For example, some machine learning frameworks that use Intel-specific machine code to accelerate computation.
You can try to install the application in your home directory and ask for help by submitting a support request.
Do you think the application will be useful for all users?
If it’s an application with limited scope that is specifically required for just your project, consider installing it in your home directory. If it’s a Python package, you can clone one of the system-wide Anaconda environments and install the package in the cloned environment.
If you think the application can be utilized by all users, submit a support request and system admins will review the request. The review usually takes up to a few business days; your request may be denied if system admins determine that the application shouldn’t be installed system wide.
How much data can I have on HAL?
Data should not be kept on HAL for extended periods of time. HAL is not backed up in any way and is supported on an as-available basis. Each user is limited to 2TB and 20,000,000 files/directories (whichever limit is reached first).
Why isn’t my job running?
I want to install TensorFlow/PyTorch/Caffe, but I can’t install one of its dependencies.
HAL uses the specialized IBM POWER9 architecture, which means it sacrifices compatibility with traditional x86_64 software. Many things need to be re-compiled for it and this is usually a very tedious process.
We have common Machine Learning frameworks already installed and ready to use, refer to Getting started with WMLCE (former PowerAI) for more details.
If you need a newer version than we are currently providing, we will usually wait until the next version of WMLCE is released. We can help you compile a newer version if there is a very specific need for it. In that case, contact us via Slack or submit a support request and someone will respond to your request.
I’m a new user trying to access HAL OnDemand but am getting a “home directory not found” error.
Before you can log into HAL OnDemand for the first time, you need to access HAL via SSH, in a terminal, to initialize your home folder. To do this, use the following command, replacing <username> with your NCSA username:
ssh <username>@hal.ncsa.illinois.edu
After your home folder is created, you can log in to and use HAL OnDemand.