Many resources for scientific computing are available at SISSA. Services include e-mail, web hosting, distributed file systems, wireless and remote Internet access, courseware and research and high-performance computing facilities. SISSA maintains a large number of interconnected number-crunching servers that communicate with each other.
SISSA is connected to GARR, the Italian research network, and communicates with the main national and international super-computing centers.
To explore available services, visit the ITCS website: itcs.sissa.it
SISSA has a long tradition in scientific computing, dating back to the early 1990s, when it co-hosted one of Italy’s first clusters dedicated to scientific computing. Today, the School hosts Ulysses, a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster inaugurated in 2014 through an agreement with the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP).
Ulysses combines CPU and GPU resources with scientific software and dedicated technical support, enabling researchers to run numerical simulations, solve complex mathematical models and analyse data. It also supports hands-on training: students on the Master in High Performance Computing (MHPC) use the cluster to gain practical experience in parallel computing within a working research environment.
SISSA is connected to GARR, Italy’s national research and education network, which supports high-speed data transfers and connections with universities, research institutions and supercomputing centres in Italy and abroad.
Alongside its own computing facilities, SISSA draws on external supercomputing resources, including those provided by CINECA, for research requiring additional computing time, memory and storage. These resources allow researchers to run larger simulations and analyses than local systems alone can accommodate.
ITCS also provides remote access to SISSA workstations, files and internal resources, allowing researchers to continue their work off campus.
The Technology Support and Development office (ITFIX), part of ITCS, provides IT assistance to SISSA researchers, students and staff. Its work includes setting up and maintaining SISSA workstations and laptops, managing software licences and institutional accounts, and supporting Microsoft 365, cloud platforms, printing and multimedia classrooms. The office also assists with IT purchases and network configuration.
The Helpdesk is the main point of contact for technical problems and support requests, with dedicated channels for scientific computing and laboratory needs. Requests are managed through a shared ticketing system and directed to the relevant team.