This online course will give an introduction to ECMWF's computing services available to users from Member- and Co-operating States. Access to the Meteorological Archival and Retrieval System (MARS) and the European Weather Cloud (EWC) will also be covered, as well as software packages for scheduling work on the Atos supercomputer and working with meteorological data.
The course target audience are users from ECMWF Member- and Co-operating States who are new to ECMWF systems or those planning to use the ECMWF systems in the near future. The course will be delivered as a mixture of presentations (via Teams) and practical sessions, in a smaller setting using Teams breakout rooms.
Prior knowledge of Linux (Unix) and a Python programming language are of advantage. Please note that users are welcome to register for each day separately, allowing them to attend the sessions that are of interest to them.
Users who are planning to use the system in the near future but do not have a user-ID yet are encouraged to get one before the training by contacting the Computing representative of their country.
All lectures will be given in English.
All lectures will be recorded and published in the days following the training course.
Day 1 - Introduction to ECMWF HPC services
Monday 13 October 9:00 BST - 17:00 BST
This day introduces participants to ECMWF’s high-performance computing environment, focusing on how to access and navigate its services. Attendees will explore the infrastructure through a virtual tour, learn how to connect securely via Teleport and VDI, and gain an understanding of the Atos system architecture and environment. The day also covers user interfaces such as JupyterHub and explores the European Weather Cloud as an alternative platform for running workloads and accessing data.
Speakers: TBC
Day 2 - Running Workflows on ECMWF HPC: Jobs, Compilation, and Data Services
Tuesday 14 October 9:00 BST - 17:00 BST
Practical aspects of working on ECMWF’s Atos HPC, focusing on submitting and managing jobs, compiling code, and accessing key data services.
Participants will learn how to use the SLURM batch scheduler, compile software efficiently on the Atos system, and explore options for running time-critical applications. The sessions also cover secure data transfers using ecAccess, data storage with ecfs, and allow time for discussion and practical questions.
This day is aimed for users who plan to run workflows on ECMWF’s systems.
Speakers: TBC
Day 3 - Working with MARS archive
Wednesday 15 October 9:00 BST - 17:00 BST
This day focuses on the ECMWF’s Meteorological Archival and Retrieval System (MARS archive).
Participants will learn how the archive is structured, how to retrieve data efficiently using both command-line tools and APIs, and how to integrate MARS data access into their workflows.
Speakers: TBC
Day 4 - Tools for working with ECMWF Data: ecCodes and EarthKit
Thursday 16 October 9:00 BST - 17:00 BST
This day introduces participants to the key tools for decoding, inspecting, and processing meteorological data formats.
The focus will be on ecCodes, the primary software for handling GRIB and BUFR files, followed by an introduction to EarthKit, ECMWF’s new Python toolkit designed to simplify working with GRIB, NetCDF, and observational data.
Update on the ongoing transition to GRIB2 will be covered during the course as well.
Speakers: TBC
Day 5 - Managing HPC Workflows with ecFlow
Friday 17 October 9:00 BST - 17:00 BST
This day is dedicated to ecFlow, ECMWF’s task scheduler for building and managing complex meteorological workflows on the HPC. Participants will learn how to create and run suites, handle task dependencies, and incorporate advanced features such as triggers and error handling. The training emphasizes best practices and realistic examples to help users develop robust, maintainable workflows for both operational and research environments.
This day is ideal for anyone responsible for automating or managing data processing chains or forecast production systems at ECMWF.
Speakers: TBC