NERSC will be hosting a training on using containers for portable programming environment on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
Containers allow users to create their own environment and code compilations that can be used across various HPC systems and reproduced on a single system even with underlying system software changes. Using containers on an HPC system allows you to use optimized system software like MPICH and OpenMPI without building the system-specific versions into your code.
The material covered will include:
- Container basics, including what a container is, container terminology, why to use containers, container registries, and container runtimes
- Using containers on Perlmutter, including pulling from registries, running on login nodes, running jobs in containers interactively and in batch jobs
- How to build containers on Perlmutter using podman-hpc, including basic build instructions and permissions
- How to run containers well on Perlmutter with GPU support, using the Slingshot network, using OpenMPI, and specifying permissions
- Pointers to information on next steps and advanced topics like using SPIN, using containers within JupyterHub or VSCode, and shared-run jobs.
The training session will include three hands-on activities, during which participants will demonstrate the knowledge they have gained through guided activities on Perlmutter.
Additional material will be available before the training session begins.
Registration
Please register here. A calendar invite will be sent shortly before the event.