Spin Training

Overview

Spin is a container-based platform* at NERSC designed for you to deploy your own science gateways, workflow managers, databases, API endpoints, and other network services to support your scientific projects. Services in Spin are built with Docker containers and can easily access NERSC systems and storage.

Documentation

The NERSC docs site has a section dedicated to Spin that is being actively developed.

Training materials from the SpinUp workshops are also available below.

Spin Office Hours

All active Spin users are welcome to make an appointment for hands-on help deploying or troubleshooting their apps in Spin.

Appointments can currently be scheduled during Spin Office Hours every Friday, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Pacific time. Sessions are held over Zoom.

After scheduling, you will receive an email confirmation with further instructions.

Self-Guided SpinUp for Current Users

Participants will follow interactive exercises in a self-paced module and may access regular Spin Office Hours sessions with NERSC staff.

Important
This do-it-yourself program is designed for those who have a time-sensitive need for access and are joining a project team of well-established Spin users or who have already attended a workshop using the legacy Rancher 1 system. (The former is subject to NERSC approval.)

Download the self-paced module to see the topics covered.

Submit a ticket indicating your NERSC project(s) to get access to the Spin Rancher 2 instance.

SpinUp Workshop for New Users

New to Spin? Attend the SpinUp Workshop to learn how to build your own services.

This instructor-led workshop is designed for those new to Spin or wanting a thorough refresher. It includes two sessions: 1) a seminar with interactive exercises and 2) an unstructured hack-a-thon. Participants will learn about the Spin platform by deploying a simple service in the first session, then work in small groups to try projects of their own in the second. Instruction will also cover basic maintenance and troubleshooting.

Important
Users must have an active NERSC account and attend a workshop for access to Spin. A basic understanding of Docker technology is recommended. All sessions are conducted virtually over Zoom.

Download the workshop materials to see the topics covered.

2025 Workshops

Apply to attend a workshop listed below.

All times are Pacific Daylight (PDT/UTC-7) or Pacific Standard (PST/UTC-8).

March

Seminar: Wednesday, March 5, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Hack-a-thon; choose either
- Option A: Wednesday, March 12, 1 - 4 p.m.
- Option B: Thursday, March 13, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

June

Seminar: Thursday, June 5, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Hack-a-thon; choose either
- Option A: Wednesday, June 11, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Option B: Thursday, June 12, 1 - 4 p.m.

August

Seminar: Wednesday, August 13, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Hack-a-thon; choose either
- Option A: Wednesday, August 20, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Option B: Thursday, August 21, 2024, 1 - 4 p.m.

October

Seminar: Wednesday, October 15, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Hack-a-thon; choose either
- Option A: Wednesday, October 22, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Option B: Thursday, October 23, 1 - 4 p.m.

December

Seminar: Wednesday, December 10, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Hack-a-thon; choose either
- Option A: Wednesday, December 17, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Option B: Thursday, December 18, 1 - 4 p.m.

* In cloud terms, a “containers-as-a-service (CaaS)” platform.

Downloads

Self-Guided-SpinUp-Exercises.pdf | Adobe Acrobat PDF file
Prepare to design, build, and manage your own apps using the Spin platform.
SpinUp-Workshop-for-New-Users.pdf | Adobe Acrobat PDF file

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