Initial commit

config.yaml

@@ -8,20 +8,20 @@
 # lc: Library Carpentry
 # cp: Carpentries (to use for instructor training for instance)
 # incubator: The Carpentries Incubator
-# 
+#
 # This option supports custom types so lessons can be branded
 # and themed with your own logo and alt-text (see `carpentry_description`)
 # See https://carpentries.github.io/sandpaper-docs/editing.html#adding-a-custom-logo
 carpentry: 'incubator'
 
 # Alt-text description of the lesson.
-carpentry_description: 'Lesson Description'
+carpentry_description: 'A step-by-step, hands-on lesson for using laptops, single board computers or whatever is lying around to build an HPC that can be used for training and prototyping.'
 
 # Overall title for pages.
-title: 'Lesson Title' # FIXME
+title: 'Building an HPC for Training' # FIXME
 
 # Date the lesson was created (YYYY-MM-DD, this is empty by default)
-created: ~ # FIXME
+created: ~ # 2024-10-15
 
 # Comma-separated list of keywords for the lesson
 keywords: 'software, data, lesson, The Carpentries' # FIXME
@@ -65,17 +65,17 @@ contact: '[email protected]' # FIXME
 # - another-learner.md
 
 # Order of episodes in your lesson
-episodes: 
+episodes:
 - introduction.md
 
 # Information for Learners
-learners: 
+learners:
 
 # Information for Instructors
-instructors: 
+instructors:
 
 # Learner Profiles
-profiles: 
+profiles:
 
 # Customisation ---------------------------------------------
 #

episodes/introduction.md

@@ -1,39 +1,50 @@
 ---
-title: "Using Markdown"
+title: "Building an HPC for Training"
 teaching: 10
 exercises: 2
 ---
 
 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: questions 
 
-- How do you write a lesson using Markdown and `{sandpaper}`?
+- Why would you want to build an HPC for training?
 
 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 
 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: objectives
 
-- Explain how to use markdown with The Carpentries Workbench
-- Demonstrate how to include pieces of code, figures, and nested challenge blocks
+- Explain the the reasons (advantages) for building an HPC for training.
+
 
 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 
 ## Introduction
 
-This is a lesson created via The Carpentries Workbench. It is written in
-[Pandoc-flavored Markdown](https://pandoc.org/MANUAL.txt) for static files and
-[R Markdown][r-markdown] for dynamic files that can render code into output. 
-Please refer to the [Introduction to The Carpentries 
-Workbench](https://carpentries.github.io/sandpaper-docs/) for full documentation.
-
-What you need to know is that there are three sections required for a valid
-Carpentries lesson:
-
- 1. `questions` are displayed at the beginning of the episode to prime the
-    learner for the content.
- 2. `objectives` are the learning objectives for an episode displayed with
-    the questions.
- 3. `keypoints` are displayed at the end of the episode to reinforce the
-    objectives.
+When running a workshop to teach learners how to use an HPC, an instructor is
+immediately presented with a few problems:
+
+1. Very few users ever get to see an HPC in real life and it is left to 
+imaginations and sci-fi movies to visualise what an HPC is. To many this is
+quite a scary concept. 
+1. Training on a "real" HPC can cause learners to be anxious that they might 
+"break" something.
+1. Access to an HPC needs to be arranged. This is not always a trivial task as
+the use of HPC resources can be quite restricted in terms of who are allowed
+to use a specific HPC. 
+1. Workshop attendees often do not read their emails 
+requesting them to create accounts before they turn up for the workshop which
+results in instructors having to create accounts on the day. Apart from quite
+often delaying the start of the workshop, it is also not always possible for 
+instructors to create the user accounts on the day.
+1. HPC resources are always in demand and running a workshop on a "real" HPC
+takes resources away from "real" processes running at the time.
+1. HPCs typically have to be connected to via the Internet. Any issues with 
+accessing the Internet will affect the workshop.
+1. If an HPC is heavily used or if someone runs a job on the login node, 
+learners might not be able to log in or there are significant delays in getting
+jobs into queues which again affects the timing of the workshop.
+
+All these mentioned issues (and probably more) can be addressed by having a
+dedicated HPC for training. But usually "real" HPCs are very expensive. 
 
 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: instructor
 

learners/setup.md

@@ -2,8 +2,23 @@
 title: Setup
 ---
 
-FIXME: Setup instructions live in this document. Please specify the tools and
-the data sets the Learner needs to have installed.
+For this lesson you will need:
+
+- 2 computers (eg. two Raspberry Pis or laptops), one which will serve as the 
+login node and one which will be a compute node. These do not need keyboards 
+and screens but it is sometimes handy to have a keyboard and screen for when 
+you run into trouble.
+- One network switch.
+- One laptop or computer which will serve as your workstation. It might prove
+useful for this workstation to have an ethernet port.
+- Three network cables.
+- If your switch has Power over Ethernet (PoE) you might not need power supplies
+for your two node. If they don't, don't forget the power supplies. Also don't 
+forget the power supply for the switch itself.
+- You'll need at least one SD card if you are using Raspberry Pis or any other
+single board computer (SBC). It might be helpful if you have two in case PXE 
+(Preboot eXecution Environment) doesn't want to work.
+
 
 ## Data Sets