The Hyak Supercomputing Research Cluster, operated by UW-IT Research Computing, is a high-performance computing environment supporting a wide range of research disciplines at the University of Washington. Hyak offers both HPC and GPU resource types, fast data transfer via a dedicated Science DMZ network, and expert consultation and support for scientific computing workflows.
This article provides an overview of how access to Hyak resources works under the condo model, as well as details about sponsorship and annual slot fees.
Key Features
Cluster Architecture
Current generation: Klone (3rd generation Hyak cluster)
Compute capacity:
44,184 CPU cores (AMD Genoa, Intel Cascade Lake, Intel Ice Lake)
Next-business-day support and 24/7 cluster monitoring
Cybersecurity updates and system maintenance
Business Model and Pricing
This short video walks you through how to purchase compute resources, how Hyak is structured under the condo model, what slice fees are, and how to get started.
Condo Model
Hyak operates under a condo model, an approach widely used at research universities. In this model faculty, researchers and eligible affiliates purchase dedicated compute resources known as slices. These slices are physically hosted and maintained by the Hyak team which provides the core infrastructure including networking, storage, and technical support.
Slice Types and Configuration
Hyak currently offers:
HPC Slices (AMD EPYC CPUs with 256GB RAM) - last quoted at $4,288.44
Access to short-term free community "scrubbed" storage (automatically cleared if unused after 21 days)
Sponsorship and Slot Fees
In addition to the one-time hardware cost for each slice, there is an annual maintenance cost known as the slot fee. This helps cover infrastructure upkeep and support services. If your lab or department is affiliated with a Hyak sponsor (see list below), your College or Department may fully or partially subsidize these fees. Please check with your IT director or Department Chair for exact annual costs. For individuals or labs not covered by a sponsor, full slot fees apply.
For more details about Hyak please visit our Service Catalog.
Eligibility and Restrictions
Eligibility: Current UW students, faculty, staff, or affiliates with a valid NetID can request a demonstration account to get access to Hyak and submit jobs within the free tier limit.
UW faculty, staff, researchers, academic units, and UW affiliates associated with a sponsored academic unit are eligible to purchase slices (i.e., dedicated Hyak resource access).
UW students are able to access Hyak computing nodes at no cost through Research Computing Club membership
Support and Availability
Customer support is available during normal business hours.
Infrastructure monitoring and support is provided 24/7.
Hyak is designed to be available 24/7/365 with minimal unscheduled downtime. Portions of Hyak are offline for up to eight hours monthly for scheduled maintenance if the work requires it (e.g., security updates, system upgrades).
Scheduled maintenance windows are as follows:
Between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month.
Every third month (January, April, July, October).
The maintenance window will last from Tuesday 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. the following morning.
New equipment could require up to eight weeks or longer for deployment from the date when the purchase order clears UW Purchasing. If inventory exists, the slice can be deployed within days of the purchase being completed.
Not sure where to start? Complete the Research Computing Consulting Intake Form to connect with the UW-IT Research Computing team for guidance on selecting the right computing services for your research project.