Somewhere over the network: providing services for remote users at NPAC

Is your institution going to establish a regional or statewide high performance computing center? Are you supporting users in remote locations who, therefore, cannot simply walk into your center for help? Such a situation presents unique challenges demanding innovative solutions. The Northeast Parallel Architectures Center (NPAC) at Syracuse University has been handling these challenges since it opened in the spring of 1987. This paper will describe some of the successful tools and strategies developed at the center to address the unique needs of remote users, particularly for consulting and training. Statistics and patterns observed at the center will be included.

At NPAC, electronic mail is considered the best method for remote user consulting. It has, however, required that consultants develop new skills and adjust their priorities. Staff experience, as well as new ideas and suggestions for successful e-mail consulting, will be related.

Providing training workshops for remote users is a very active program at the center. Not a moment of users' time can be wasted, since most travel from other cities, states and countries to attend NPAC's training. Thus, accurately assessing user needs and precisely communicating the goals and objectives of the training are paramount.

Hosting multinational participant groups for two to three weeks' duration has required staff attention to matters, such as providing access to campus libraries and recreational facilities, and arranging weekend activities, not necessary when participants are local. The complete package of workshop planning strategies, along with the center's methods of monitoring for success (i.e. workshop evaluations and reports of direct feedback from users, will be presented.