You might know that Firebird supports various high-performance (HPC) computing workflows, but have you heard of high-throughput (HTC) computing? HPC is useful when a single task requires a substantial amount of computing power to complete; for example, performing complex mathematical … Continue reading High-Throughput Computing on Firebird – and Beyond!
Firebird can now host and run open-source large language models directly on the cluster using Ollama, a tool that makes it straightforward to pull down a model (and Ollama has LOTS of models!) and start working with it. Anyone with … Continue reading Running Open-Source LLMs on Firebird
Firebird, Swarthmore’s high-performance computing (HPC) cluster, is completing its first full calendar year in service, and what a year it’s been! In 2025, the user communities from both Swarthmore and Lafayette College collectively ran more than 459,000 jobs, totaling over … Continue reading Firebird: 2025 in Review
We are excited to announce that Globus is now available for testing and use in conjunction with the Firebird HPC cluster. Globus “lets you efficiently, securely, and reliably transfer data directly between systems separated by an office wall or an … Continue reading Globus Now Available for Use with Firebird
We all know what FOMO is, but have you heard of FOCL: Fear of the Command Line? OK, maybe I made that up, but many who might want to take advantage of high-performance computing resources, such as Firebird, are deterred … Continue reading Open OnDemand: A Web Gateway to Firebird
A perennial question of the last several years is: “When will quantum computing be ready for prime time?” Honestly, many IT professionals in mid-career or later hope that the answer is “not soon,” especially since the technology isn’t the easiest … Continue reading Quantum Computing: Coming Later to a Data Center Near You?
