Data Transfer and File Management on HPC Systems

Working with High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems requires moving massive datasets quickly and securely without overloading network resources. Understanding how to navigate remote file systems and transfer data efficiently is a critical skill for any researcher, analyst, or data professional. This course equips you with the fundamental skills to transfer, download, and organize files on remote HPC clusters. You will transition from basic command-line navigation to executing secure, optimized transfers and managing compressed archives with confidence. What you'll learn: - Understand foundational HPC storage structures and network transfer protocols. - Transfer files securely using command-line utilities like SCP and SFTP. - Optimize data synchronization and resume interrupted transfers using rsync. - Download remote datasets directly to your cluster using wget and curl. - Manage and compress large datasets efficiently using tar, gzip, and modern archiving tools. - Configure secure SSH key-based authentication for seamless remote connections. The course starts with essential terminology and connection basics before guiding you through practical, written scenarios for transferring files, automating downloads, and archiving data. It is designed for beginners to HPC environments, research computing, or command-line data management, with no prior cluster experience required. Start managing your scientific and analytical data like an HPC professional today.