Warning
The CRC will officially retire AFS in May, 2027, and the Panasas scratch file system, which hosts the /scratch365 directories, in June, 2026.
CRC Open OnDemand
CRC Open OnDemand is a web-based portal that provides access to the CRC computing resources through a web browser. It allows users to launch interactive applications, manage files, and access high-performance computing resources without installing specialized software or relying exclusively on command-line tools.
All computation is performed on CRC-managed systems and scheduled using the Grid Engine job scheduler. Open OnDemand provides a graphical interface on top of existing CRC infrastructure; it does not replace or bypass CRC policies for scheduling, accounting, or resource usage.
Accessing the Portal
The CRC Open OnDemand portal is available at: https://ondemand.crc.nd.edu
Warning
The CRC Open OnDemand portal is only available on campus network. Please ensure you are connected to the Notre Dame network – either via eduroam (for wireless access on campus) or through the ND VPN when off campus.
Log in using your credentials.
Warning
Please ensure you use your netid as your username on the portal (without the @nd.edu).
What Open OnDemand Provides
Open OnDemand serves as a bridge between your web browser and CRC’s backend compute environment. Applications launched through the portal run on CRC compute nodes and are scheduled through Grid Engine, in the same manner as traditional batch jobs.
Core capabilities include:
Browser-based access to interactive applications
Secure file management integrated with CRC storage systems
Web-based terminal access to CRC login nodes
Full integration with CRC scheduling and usage policies
Interactive Applications
CRC Open OnDemand provides access to a wide range of interactive applications. All applications are launched as scheduled jobs on CRC-managed compute resources and accessed securely through your browser.
Applications are organized below by primary research domain. Some applications may reasonably support multiple workflows and are listed under their most common use case.
Life Sciences & Structural Biology
Engineering, Modeling & Simulation
Data Science, Statistics & Quantitative Analysis
Scientific Visualization, Imaging & Computational Chemistry
Geospatial & Environmental Analysis
Software Development - Integrated Development Environments
How Jobs Run Through Open OnDemand
When you start an application or interactive session through the portal:
A job is submitted to the Grid Engine scheduler
Requested resources are allocated
The application runs on an appropriate compute node
Open OnDemand securely proxies the application back to your web browser
Closing your browser does not terminate the job. Sessions continue to run until they reach their requested walltime or are explicitly terminated by the user.
Configuring Interactive Sessions
Most interactive applications prompt you to specify resource requests at launch. These requests determine how Grid Engine schedules your job.
Common Configuration Options
Option |
Description |
Queue |
Determines which compute nodes will be used |
Walltime |
Maximum runtime for the session |
CPU cores |
Number of CPU cores requested |
GPUs |
Number of GPUs requested, if applicable |
Working directory |
Initial directory when the session starts |
Providing accurate resource requests helps reduce queue wait times and ensures fair and efficient use of shared computing resources.
Best Practices
Terminate jobs when work is complete
Close unused sessions to free cluster resources
Log out of the Open OnDemand portal when finished
Help and Support
For assistance with CRC Open OnDemand or other CRC services, contact: CRCSupport@nd.edu
Platform Updates
CRC Open OnDemand is actively maintained and expanded. New applications, features, and enhancements may be added over time as CRC resources evolve.