Windows Research Computing

Overview

The Windows Research environment provides a space for research using the Windows OS with various research software.  Some of the software is only available on the Windows OS, like ArcGIS and SAS.  Different from the traditional departmental research servers, you will be the only one utilizing the resources on your Windows Research environment. You will be able to connect to your data on the Wharton HPCC environment as well as other cloud offerings like Dropbox.  Another advantage you will have is that you will be given admin access to your environment to install any other research software you might need.

If you would like to request access to the Windows Research environment (AWS WorkSpaces) please Apply Here!

Windows Research Environment

The Windows Research Computing utilizes AWS WorkSpaces to provide a Windows Research environment for Wharton users.  The specs on the basic tier will be a WorkSpaces Power model with the following:

  • AWS Workspaces Power
  • 4 vCPU Xeon 8259CL @ 2.50GHz
  • 16GB of Ram
  • 100GB storage

There are other WorkSpaces models with more powerful specs and we also offer Windows EC2 instances so if your research requires more CPU, ram or storage please email research-computing@wharton.upenn.edu.

These are several software applications that can be provided through our Windows Research Computing environment, including but not limited to:

  • Stata SE 16
  • ArcGIS 10.7.1
  • MatLab R2019a
  • MobaXterm
  • Office 2016

Also in the Windows Research environment, you will have admin access to your AWS WorkSpaces so you will be able to install any other research software you might need.

Connecting your Wharton VPN (FortiClient)

You no longer need Wharton VPN to access the HPCC environment from AWS WorkSpaces.  Almost all the resources at Wharton should be accessible for you from AWS WorkSpaces but if you still need the Wharton VPN, here are the instructions below.

  • Click on the white Windows logo on the bottom left of WorkSpaces then type ie.  This should bring up Internet Explorer.  Please open Internet Explorer.
  • On Internet Explorer, please look to the top right corner and click on the gear icon then click on Internet options.
  • Then on the Internet options popup, click on the security tab.
  • You should then see Internet, Local intranet, Trusted sites and Restricted sites.  Please click on Trusted sites.
  • Then click on the sites button.
  • Then under Add this website to the zone: add the following https://cpa-vpn.wharton.upenn.edu then click Add.  Afterwards you can close Internet Explorer.

After these configuration changes you should be able to connect to the Wharton VPN.  To see instructions on how to connect to your data on HPCC please check out our page on Accessing other Cloud Storage.