Expanding Cluster Access: Integrating Open OnDemand with Otago’s Research and Teaching

Cluster computing and integrated research workflows are essential for modern research, enabling high-throughput data analysis and complex computational tasks. Open OnDemand provides a web-based interface for accessing and managing high-performance computing (HPC) resources, significantly simplifying the user experience for researchers across various disciplines. This platform removes the need for extensive technical knowledge, as it offers intuitive interfaces for job management, data transfer, and interactive applications, including Jupyter Notebooks, RStudio, and remote desktops.

At the University of Otago, we have undertaken an initiative to expand access to computational resources by integrating Open OnDemand with existing research compute infrastructure, alongside the deployment of custom applications that align with research and teaching needs. This initiative allows researchers seamless access to compute resources while also providing students with practical exposure to these systems in classroom environments.

This talk will showcase the current design and implementation of the Open OnDemand platform and give examples of how it has been utilised for both research and teaching activities at University of Otago.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr Murray Cadzow is a Scientific Programmer within Research Teaching IT Support at the University of Otago, with a background in bioinformatics. Murray has been heavily involved in computational literacy and bioinformatic training at the University of Otago - co-organising Research Bazaar and the Otago Bioinformatics Spring School. He is certified as both a Carpentries instructor, and instructor trainer.

Peter Higbee is a Systems Engineer at the University of Otago with a background in Earth Science. He manages HPC systems, storage solutions, and applications across campus, bringing over 20 years of expertise in IT. In collaboration with Otago’s Research and Teaching leadership and engineering team, Peter has worked on numerous initiatives to streamline and advance research infrastructure, including the recent integration of Open OnDemand to support both research and educational applications.

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