HPC Foundations

HPC Foundations is the execution stack: the base layer of compute, storage, and software that every workload runs on. Whether you are solving a single-run batch job, orchestrating a multi-run design study, or training an AI model, you are building on this layer.

This section covers what runs (jobs and workstations), what it runs with (software and hardware), and where the data lands (files and storage). The three other solution areas (Advanced Modeling & Simulation, Agentic Engineering, and AI Physics) add capabilities on top of this foundation.

What's in HPC Foundations

The five capabilities that make up the execution stack:

Capability	What it covers
Jobs	Batch execution: configure, submit, monitor, and manage unattended compute workloads
Workstations	Interactive cloud desktops for CAD, meshing, post-processing, and GUI-driven solving
Software Catalog	Hundreds of pre-configured solvers, plus tools to bring and publish your own
Hardware & Coretypes	CPU and GPU hardware selection, regions, and the mechanisms that choose for you
Files & Storage	Where data lives: object storage, mounted filesystems, high-performance devices, and bulk transfer

Job or workstation?

The first decision for most work: should this run as a batch job or an interactive workstation?

Use a Job when	Use a Workstation when
The solver runs unattended from start to finish	You need to interact with the software as it runs
You can configure everything before submission	You need a GUI for CAD, meshing, or post-processing
You want the lowest cost per core-hour	You want to monitor or interact with processes in real time
The workflow is scriptable and repeatable	You are exploring, debugging, or manually steering

Jobs are simpler and cheaper. Workstations give you control and visibility. Most simulation workflows use jobs for production runs and workstations for pre- and post-processing.

In this section

Jobs

Batch execution on cloud hardware. Create a job · Live-tail output · Download results · Reuse and share

Workstations

Interactive remote desktops. What they are · Create and connect · Suspend and resume · Share access

Software Catalog

Managed applications and custom packages. Browse the catalog · Solver run commands · Bring Your Own Software

Hardware & Coretypes

Cloud hardware selection. What coretypes are · GPU accelerators · Regions · Coretype sets

Files & Storage

Where your data lives. Rescale Files · Cloud Filesystem (CFS) · High-Performance Storage · Transfer Manager

Related

• Platform Overview for what cuts across all solution areas, and how they fit together
• Advanced Modeling & Simulation for multi-run workflows, DOE, and hardware benchmarking built on top of Jobs
• Getting Started if you haven't run your first job yet
• For Administrators for organization settings, billing, policies, and user management