- Physics-Departmental-Computing

Physics computing meeting + Fwd: Huxley 147 Cluster Room
by David Colling 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Hi, Now that the start of term is behind us we should arrange a date for the next departmental computing meeting. This term I am lecturing Monday and Tuesday and am therefore constrained to be in college on those days which means that these would be ideal for me. Is there anybody who definitively cannot make Mondays or Tuesdays? If not I will set up a doodle poll this weekend to pick the actual date. One of the items for the agenda should be the future of the machine room in Huxley. Below is a message from Roland Smith who I believe would like to use this room as a laser lab. So we should asses our needs for a machine room and for that room in particular. I would welcome any view on this in advance from the users of this room. All the best, david -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Huxley 147 Cluster Room Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 11:06:57 +0000 From: Roland Smith <r.a.smith(a)imperial.ac.uk> Reply-To: <r.a.smith(a)imperial.ac.uk> Organisation: Imperial College, London To: David Colling <d.colling(a)imperial.ac.uk> Dear Dave Thanks for your time yesterday, this is a follow up about the usage of Huxley 147 which I understand you manage for the Department. I am very interested in finding out who currently runs machines in this area, and whether you are aware of any plans for new clusters in the future based here rather than run centrally by College. My understanding is that the following academics have hardware in H147. Jerry Chittenden (Plasma) Roger Evans (Plasma) Zulf Najmudin (Plasma) Peter Torrok (Photonics) If you can add anyone else to this list, do please let me know. best wishes, Roland

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Fwd: FW: Intel compilers
by David Colling 01 Feb '11

01 Feb '11

I am afraid that I have forgotten which groups make use of these floating licenses (if you could tell me it would be useful - I guess), but for those who do ... -------- Original Message -------- Subject: FW: Intel compilers Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2011 13:56:20 +0000 From: Mannall, Adrian B <a.mannall(a)imperial.ac.uk> To: Rochford, Steve <s.rochford(a)imperial.ac.uk> CC: Spencer, James S <j.spencer(a)imperial.ac.uk>, Colling, David J <d.colling(a)imperial.ac.uk>, Foulkes, Matthew <wmc.foulkes(a)imperial.ac.uk>, Moore, Dan R <dan.moore(a)imperial.ac.uk>, Adams, Niall M <n.adams(a)imperial.ac.uk> Due to Intel changing the name of the Compiler products the license file in use for the Faculty 5 seat license compiler needs to be updated. Please could you arrange for this license to be installed on any machines where the floating license is in use and then advise when we can update the server. Regards Adrian -----Original Message----- From: Twist, Alex M Sent: 01 February 2011 13:53 To: Mannall, Adrian B Subject: RE: Intel compilers Hi Adrian, Sorry about this. This is the new license file according to the intel website. This file will have to go on all of the machines, once it's there I can upgrade it on the server. Is that ok? Alex -----Original Message----- From: Mannall, Adrian B Sent: 01 February 2011 13:42 To: Twist, Alex M Subject: FW: Intel compilers Alex, Were you able to get an updated license file? Thanks Adrian

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Fwd: ICT looking for good Postgraduate students to work on the ICT Service Desk
by David Colling 23 Jan '11

23 Jan '11

Dear Physics Computing people, Please forward this to anybody who you think might be interested. All the best, david -------- Original Message -------- Subject: ICT looking for good Postgraduate students to work on the ICT Service Desk Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:27:05 +0000 From: Allatt, Paul <p.allatt(a)imperial.ac.uk> To: ICTAP Members <ccs-dept(a)imperial.ac.uk> Dear All Adam Mills, the ICT Service Desk Manager, has asked me to circulate this information. Please can you ensure PGs in your Department are made aware of this opportunity for casual employment. Thanks Paul *Opportunity for PG work with ICT Service Desk* /ICT is looking //for post graduate students to work on the ICT Service Desk in South Kensington on a casual basis./// // /The work entails handling IT queries from all members of staff and students of the College via telephone, email, web and in person and following standard processes and procedures to ensure users can work with College IT as effectively as possible. Full (paid) training is provided./// // /The work is casual in that the Service Desk may not need all casual staff every week and likewise, casual staff may not be available every week. We do ask that casual staff commit to at least one 4.5 hour shift per week for an initial 6 months period. Ideally casual staff will have at least a year of their course to run./// // /Casual staff should have a good balance of technical and customer service skills, be fast learners and have a can-do attitude as well as a high standard of English (both written and spoken). Previous customer service and/or IT orientated experience is desirable but not essential. /// // /By working for the ICT Service Desk, PGs are not only earning money which helps fund their studies, but are also gaining useful experience to enhance their CV for future job applications.///

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Support for 1st year computer class
by Dave Clements 13 Jan '11

13 Jan '11

Hi, The 1st year computing course started a new session this week, and I was disappointed to find that there were no ICT support staff in the Level 3 Blackett office to help us through the inevitable problems we get at the beginning of the class. This is despite agreement that this support would be provided after the move of computing staff to 411 Huxley, with dates and times supplied last term. Furthermore there was nobody in the level 3 Blackett ICT office for the Thursday morning startup session despite my delivering a reminder to the support team in 411 Huxley on Monday afternoon. We really do need reliable support for the starting sessions of these labs. If this can't be supplied using the current arrangements, as seems to be the case, then the whole issue of moving ICT staff out of Blackett needs to be revisited. Best wishes, Dave Clements

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Mounting Home areas from Linux and Mac OS
by Mannall, Adrian B 09 Dec '10

09 Dec '10

All, Further to the computing committee last month a new page of information has been provided in the ICT site to give guidance on mounting your College provided H: drive on Linux and Mac OS systems. The page is available here<http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/ict/services/personalcomputersupportandmobileser…>. It's also been integrated into the following pages too ... Integration into the College Environment Mac pages<http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/ict/services/personalcomputersupportandmobileser…> and the Linux OS Support front page<http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/ict/services/personalcomputersupportandmobileser…> I'd like to thank Ed Hogg in the OS Admin group in ICT for providing this information and making the pages available as a direct result of the committee's request. Kind regards, Adrian Adrian Mannall Faculty IT Manager Faculty of Natural Sciences ICT, Imperial College London South Kensington Campus 323, Wolfson (Biochemistry) Building, Exhibition Road London SW7 2AZ Direct Dial Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 1441 College Ext'n: 41441 Mobile: +44 (0)7834 083134 Mobile Ext'n: 57974 Email: a.mannall(a)imperial.ac.uk<mailto:a.mannall@imperial.ac.uk> Web : http://www.imperial.ac.uk/

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don't forget the disaster recovery spreadsheet
by David Colling 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

This is just to remind people to fill in the computing disaster recovery spreadsheet for your research group which can found at http://www.hep.ph.ic.ac.uk/~collngdj/physics_computing/ and send it to Harry Vine. The deadline for this is the end of the month. All the best, david

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Departmental Computing Meeting
by David Colling 16 Nov '10

16 Nov '10

Dear All, We have a Departmental Computing tomorrow this will start at 12.30 and will be in room 532. Feel free to bring your lunch along. We have that room until 2pm when somebody else needs it so we have a hard limit (which might not be a bad thing). - 12.30 Short welcome - 12.35 ICT Status and plans - 12.55 Disaster Recovery Planning (see the spreadsheet at http://icva.hep.ph.ic.ac.uk/~collngdj/physics_computing/ ) - 13.15 Licensing o Mathematica (see http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/ict/services/personalcomputersupportandmobileser… ) o others - 13.30 Desktop replacement (not confirmed with Harry) - 13.15 Could Origin be used in place of excel for UG graph making? (Quick demo) - 13.25 Results from the survey (not sure that there is that much to say but may be interesting). See the plots for bot "All" and "Physics" at: http://icva.hep.ph.ic.ac.uk/~collngdj/physics_computing/survey_results/ - 13.30 News and issues from the UG teaching - 13.40 News and issues from the Research groups - 13.50 AOB These timings are very approximate obviously. See you tomorrow. All the best, david

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Meeting date and request for agenda items
by David Colling 06 Nov '10

06 Nov '10

Dear All, Tuesday the 16th appears to be the clear winner from the doodle poll with only Peter Torok not being able to make it (sorry Peter, do you want to send a deputy?). There are some perennial items for the agenda but could people send me anything that they want included. I will circulate an agenda midweek when I will also have booked a room. All the best, david

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Departmental computing meeting (and Mathematica again)
by David Colling 30 Oct '10

30 Oct '10

Dear Physics Computing People, Now that term has started and things have settled down I think that we should have a departmental computing meeting. These are traditionally at lunchtime (or immediately after lunch) and I suggest that we continue with this unless there are great objections. Please could you fill in the doodle poll at: http://doodle.com/r6s79ta9cxhgpw8zxgb32gay/admin There is a DUC Meeting on the 24th and it would be good to meet before that. On the Mathematica front, I would be very interested to know how many licenses each group currently has and how many you would like in a perfect world. All the best, david

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Computing Intro for First years
by Dave Clements 16 Sep '10

16 Sep '10

Hi, I'm about to prepare the computing intro talk and leaflet for the incoming first years. If anything has changed form last year or if there's anything you're particularly keen to make sure they know, let me know ASAP. Thanks! Dave

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