HPC Guelph: Where to Find Supercomputing Power
Written by Luke Sullivan • Published August 26, 2026 • Last verified August 26, 2026
What you need to know:
The University of Guelph's HPC cluster is called 'Saw' and has been in operation since 2017.
Access to HPC is primarily for U of G faculty, students, and research staff; students need a faculty sponsor.
Apply for an account through the CCS website at uoguelph.ca/ccs.
CCS offers training sessions on using the HPC system, especially at the start of semesters.
For non-academic users, consider cloud HPC services or partnerships through the Research Innovation Office.
High-performance computing, or HPC, means using clusters of powerful computers to solve problems that a single desktop can't handle. In Guelph, the main HPC resource is the University of Guelph's high-performance computing facility, run through its Computing and Communications Services (CCS). It's a shared resource for researchers, graduate students, and faculty who need serious number-crunching power for things like genomics, climate modeling, machine learning, and engineering simulations.
The U of G HPC system is a cluster of many connected servers that work together on large tasks. It's not one big supercomputer; it's a collection of standard servers networked to act as one. That design lets the university add capacity over time as needs grow. The current system, named 'Saw' after the university's logo, has been in operation since 2017. It replaced an older system called 'Graham' (not to be confused with the national Graham cluster). Saw is a shared resource, meaning all approved users submit jobs to a queue, and the scheduler decides which jobs run first based on priority and available resources.
Who gets to use it? The facility is primarily for U of G researchers and their collaborators. That includes faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and even some senior undergraduate students working on research projects. If you're a student, you'll need a faculty supervisor to sponsor your access. Industry partners working with U of G researchers can also get access through collaborative agreements. If you're not affiliated with the university, you can't just sign up; you'd need to partner with a U of G researcher or use a national service like Compute Canada (now called the Digital Research Alliance of Canada).
To get access, you start by applying through CCS. The process typically involves filling out an application form on the CCS website, explaining your research needs and the software you plan to use. You'll need a faculty sponsor if you're a student. Once approved, you'll get an account on the cluster, and you'll use a command-line interface to submit jobs. If you're new to HPC, CCS offers training sessions and documentation to help you learn the basics of using the system, including how to write job scripts and manage your data.
What can you actually do with HPC in Guelph? The system has been used for a wide variety of research. For example, researchers in the Department of Integrative Biology use it for genetic sequencing analysis, which requires processing huge amounts of data. Engineers simulate fluid dynamics and stress tests on materials. Computer scientists train machine learning models. The system also supports research in food science, such as modeling how different compounds interact. If your research involves large datasets or complex calculations, HPC can cut your processing time from weeks to hours.
But HPC isn't just for the University of Guelph. The city of Guelph is also home to the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a partnership between the university and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Through this alliance, agricultural researchers in Guelph can access HPC resources for projects related to crop modeling, livestock genetics, and food safety. The alliance has its own computing resources, but they often integrate with the university's systems. If you're doing agri-food research in Guelph, it's worth checking what's available through the alliance.
For businesses in Guelph that need HPC, the options are different. The university's system is not open to the public, but there are commercial cloud services that offer HPC on demand, like Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure. These can be expensive but flexible. Alternatively, the Guelph Innovation District and the Research Innovation Office (RIO) at the university can help businesses connect with researchers who have HPC expertise. If you're a startup or a small business, RIO can guide you toward resources, including potential partnerships with U of G labs.
What changes over time? The HPC system is upgraded periodically. The current system, Saw, has been in place since 2017, but the university continually adds new nodes and software. You should check the CCS website for announcements about maintenance windows, software updates, and new training sessions. The Digital Research Alliance of Canada also regularly updates its national resources, which U of G researchers can access as an alternative. The alliance's national systems, like Cedar and Graham, are available to all Canadian academic researchers, so if the local system is busy, you might use the national one.
One thing to know: HPC is not a free-for-all. You'll have to follow the university's policies on data security and acceptable use. If you're working with sensitive data, like medical records or proprietary industry data, you'll need to ensure your project complies with privacy regulations. CCS provides guidelines on this. Also, you'll be expected to store your data on the system's storage, which has quotas. If you need more storage, you can request an increase, but it's not automatic.
How do you decide if HPC is right for your project? If your work involves simulations, large-scale data analysis, or machine learning, and your current computer takes too long, HPC might help. Start by talking to your supervisor or a colleague who's used the system. You can also attend a CCS orientation session. They often hold these at the beginning of each semester. If you're a student, ask your department's computing representative for advice. They can point you to the right contacts.
For the most current information, check the Computing and Communications Services website at uoguelph.ca/ccs. There you'll find application forms, user guides, and details on system status. The Digital Research Alliance of Canada website is also a valuable resource for national HPC options. Both sites will have the latest news on upgrades and training. If you're a researcher in Guelph, the HPC facility is a powerful tool that's worth learning to use. It's there to help you push the boundaries of your research, and with a bit of training, you'll be submitting your first job in no time.
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