Connectionists: Run parallel simulations via the Neuroscience Gateway

[Ted Carnevale]

Computational neuroscientists are invited to use the Neuroscience
Gateway portal http://www.nsgportal.org (NSG) to run parallel
simulations on high performance computing (HPC) resources.  We are
developing the NSG, with support from NSF, as a means to reduce the
administrative and technical barriers that keep many users from
employing HPC.

NSG users do not have to divert time and effort from their own
research, because there is
* NO formal request for allocation of CPU time--in fact,
     no paperwork at all, and no charges since the NSG employs
     HPC resources that are already supported by NSF and other
     agencies
* NO need to install or configure software
* NO need to wrestle with HPC system software or job scheduling

Instead the NSG provides a simple web-based interface that makes
it quick and easy to create an account, upload model code, run
simulations, and get back results.  To get started, go to
http://www.nsgportal.org, click on the "Go to the NSG Portal"
button, and follow the instructions in the sentence
    New users who are interested in getting an account should
    fill out the form and email it to nsgprod at sdsc.edu
on that page.

Currently the NSG has the latest version of NEURON installed, and
we plan to make other simulators such as GENESIS, MOOSE, and NEST
available in the next few months.

Investigators who have already obtained allocations on HPC resources,
and would like to use the NSG as a convenient interface for using those
allocations, are also invited to contact us to facilitate this.

For any questions related to the NSG portal, please contact us at
    nsghelp at sdsc.edu