Running a cloud server in Europe

User Support
1

Howdy Folks,

I am new to renting a cloud server, so I would like to get your opinion/experience on this issue.

We want to rent a cloud server in Europe (location is firm) to run MC simulation to develop small modular reactors. One of the codes we are planning to install is OpenMC.

Can anyone recommend me a cloud server company? A company to avoid? In your experience what were the unexpected problems that challenged you?

Thank you in advance for sharing your knowledge and experience.

2

Have been using AWS EC2s for a while now. Easy setup and scale up.

3

Hi Viz,

I appreciate your reply. I am looking into getting some computing time at AWS.

4

Hyperaesthetica,

Couple of tips -

  1. C5. instances have been my choice and you can pick instances based on size of the job.
  2. Run the case with a bash script like -
#!/bin/bash

cd /home/ubuntu/<case>
python <case>.py

# Shutdown the EC2 instance
sudo shutdown -h now

so instance will be shutdown once case or cases are done. This will save significant amount of money.

  1. When you first start and install openmc in an instance, add your cross section files and make an AMI so you can make other instances from the AMI and it will have everything ready to go.

cheers!