General - Stern Center for Research Computing

How do I learn Linux?

We have a simple Linux tutorial to get you started with SCRC services: Linux Tutorial

For an in-depth tutorial, you can navigate to this Linux guide: Learning the Shell

Apps@Stern provides NYU Stern’s students and faculty with virtual access to academically relevant software applications. You can access Apps@Stern by navigating to their website here. To access additional applications NYU offers, please navigate to the NYU Virtual Computer Lab (VCL). Use of Apps@Stern and the Virtual Computer Lab (VCL) are for academic purposes only. For more information, please see the Apps@Stern service documentation.

If you need help, contact the Stern helpdesk: helpdesk@stern.nyu.edu | (212) 998-0180 | Tisch L-100

How do I get a WRDS account?

Wharton Research Database Services is an internet based research business data service from the Wharton School. WRDS data consists of historical financial information for banks, government bonds, stock exchanges, and major companies. It is intended solely for research and instructional purposes.

For detailed information, visit our WRDS page.

The following steps will guide you in obtaining your WRDS account:

Visit Wharton Research Database Services with your Web browser.
Click on the “Register” button at the top of the login page.
Complete the form, read the WRDS Terms of Use Statement, and submit. The NYU Representative for WRDS will receive a message from WRDS regarding your account application. The NYU Representative will check your NYU affiliation.
Once your account request is approved, WRDS will send you an e-mail with instructions for setting your password.

If you have suggestions, comments, questions or problems using this service, please contact: research@stern.nyu.edu.
If you have problems, questions, or suggestions concerning WRDS database access or data querying, or programming on the WRDS server, go to WRDS Support.

What services are available through the NYU Library?

NYU library has access to a vast collection of resources, research materials, and digital databases for students, faculty, and researchers. You can get more information on the NYU Library and NYU Business Library Data Services pages.

How do I request consulting help?

Contact one of us directly or send questions to our group’s email at scrc-list@stern.nyu.edu.

SCRC also offers help through personal consultations such as

finding the right software, datasets, or computational services that best fit your research needs.
using or understanding our compute services such as batch or interactive processing.
purchasing, transferring, or storing data.
getting and using a virtual machine for specialized computational or secure data requirements.

For general non-research support questions contact the Stern IT helpdesk.

I have a large dataset, where should I put it?

For optimal storage and management of your large datasets, we have a designated space called bighome in your home directory. Each user can request a bighome by emailing us at scrc-list@stern.nyu.edu. This directory is specifically designed to house all your substantial files, such as extensive data sets. It provides a centralized location for efficient organization and easy access to your data.

To ensure the safety of your data, we perform weekly backups of your bighome, offering an added layer of protection. While there is no predefined quota limit for your bighome, please inform us if you require more than 1TB of storage. We are here to support your data needs and will gladly accommodate any additional requirements you may have.

How do I get started with SCRC?

To get started with the SCRC (Stern Center for Research Computing) services, you can follow these steps:

As a Stern user, you can access the SCRC facilities using your Stern NetID and password. If you haven’t already activated your Stern account, you’ll need to do so by visiting the following website: http://start.stern.nyu.edu
Once your account is activated, you can log in via SSH to either rnd.stern.nyu.edu or vleda.stern.nyu.edu using your Stern netid and password. Upon your first login, your home directory will be automatically created for you.
You are now able to use the SCRC facilities, which include both interactive and grid computing services. Please be aware that these services operate on Linux, so it is expected that you have some familiarity with Linux or Unix.
If you are collaborating with someone from another institution, your departmental coordinator can assist them in obtaining an NYU netid and a sternid for access to SCRC services.

More detailed instructions can be found on the Get Started page.

Should I use SCRC or NYU HPC?

As a starting point, we recommend using the Stern HPC facilities, especially if you are new to high-performance computing (HPC) or have relatively modest computational requirements. Our team is available to provide personalized assistance to help you get started.

In terms of processing time, the Stern HPC typically offers a faster response compared to the NYU HPC, although this may fluctuate. The NYU HPC facility serves the entire university and boasts extensive capabilities, including a wider range of software options compared to the Stern HPC. In fact, the NYU HPC is recognized as one of the most powerful academic HPC clusters. Our knowledgeable staff can guide you in determining the most suitable facility for your computational needs.

If you would like to use Hadoop or Big Data services, we recommend using HPC as they have a Peel cluster for specific big data needs.

Who signs contracts for purchasing data?

All data purchases at Stern should be handled by David Frederick (research@stern.nyu.edu). All purchases are charged to the SCRC and a transfer is made from the appropriate budget to cover the amount. This allows the budget office to see ALL of the data purchases at the school and allows us to make sure no one else already has purchased the data, or if there is a chance for bundling this purchase with an existing license. Also, the contract often needs to be reviewed by NYU legal, as well as risk management and purchasing.

How do I request a dedicated virtual machine?

SCRC has a small VMWARE cloud that we use to support researchers with specialized needs. The cloud supports a wide variety of both Windows and linux machines. If you send an email to scrc-list@stern.nyu.edu with a description of your needs, we can schedule a meeting and usually provide a machine in a day or so. We currently support Windows and Linux virtual machines. Typically, a machine is 6 cores and 32GB of RAM. You can learn more on our Cloud Computing page.