Wynton Transition: Keeping You Informed

Overview

Wynton HPC is being phased out as UCSF adopts new research computing infrastructure. This page summarizes timelines, required actions, and resources to help users prepare for the transition.

Missed the Wynton Protected Transition?

Wynton Protected was retired on January 30, 2026, and the deadline to claim data from the former environment has passed. If you did not submit a transition request and believe you still have data that needs to be recovered, contact the Wynton Transition Team immediately.

Current Wynton Users: Start Planning Now

Ready to start? Submit a Wynton Transition request.

Migration of the remaining Wynton environment is underway and will be completed no later than February 2027.

We encourage labs to begin planning and submitting their transition to FAC and CoreHPC requests now. Early planning allows more flexibility in scheduling migrations and reduces the risk of last-minute disruption.

What to do:

If you are a PI/Sponsor:
Follow the instructions below to submit a request to migrate your data to FAC Capacity Storage and set up FAC and CoreHPC access for your team.
If you are not a PI/Sponsor:
Contact your PI/Sponsor to coordinate your lab or group's transition. The PI/Sponsor should submit one transition request covering the group.
Need help before submitting a request?
Contact us at [email protected] or join the ARS office hours.

Reminder: Only P1/P2 data is allowed in Wynton at this time. Refer to UCSF Policy 650-16 Addendum F, UCSF Data Classification Standard for detailed definitions. 

Required Actions for Wynton Users and PIs/Sponsors

Step 1 — Coordinate Funding and Submission
Department heads and PIs must finalize funding sources and storage allocations for their lab or group and designate a request owner. Quotes to estimate costs can be generated via our FAC Pricing & Services Portal.

Each lab or group submits one coordinated request.
PIs may submit the request themselves or delegate submission to a lab member.
Individual users should not submit separate requests unless they have independently funded storage needs.
Chartstrings are mandatory.

Step 2 — Submit the Wynton Transition Request

Submit a single Wynton Transition request to obtain both FAC capacity storage and CoreHPC access.
When completing the form, select “Wynton Transition” from the available request options.

Step 3 - Know What to Expect After You Submit

Request review: We will review your request and contact you if required information is missing or needs clarification (for example, a chartstring).
Initial setup and data copy: Once the request is complete, we will provision the new environment as needed and begin an initial copy of your Wynton data. You can continue using Wynton as usual during this time.
Schedule final migration: Once the initial copy is complete, we will work with your lab to schedule the final migration window.
Complete jobs and final sync: Before the scheduled migration, running Wynton jobs must be completed. We will then lock your Wynton account and directories and perform the final synchronization.
Move to the new environment: Once the migration is complete, your Wynton access will end and you will receive instructions for accessing your data and compute in the new environment.

Step 4 — Getting Started in FAC and CoreHPC

Once you receive a welcome email, follow the Day 1 Checklist for FAC and CoreHPC.
After running through the checklist, review our resources list below. The Transition from SGE to Slurm + Conversion Guidance may be especially helpful in transitioning from SGE.
Join our office hours to get assistance (see below for details).

Notes

Wynton Information Commons (IC) app users should follow updated guidance provided by the IC FAC team to request an IC FAC account.
We encourage you to begin directory clean-up and submit your transition request.

Drop-In Office Hours (Open Q&A)

We offer weekly ARS office hours to answer your questions about the Wynton transition, timelines, and getting started with FAC Capacity Storage and CoreHPC.

Office hours schedule: Drop in any time on Tuesdays from 10:10 to 11:00 AM

Join via the Zoom link that can be found in any of these locations:

Weekly ARS office hours webpage
Pinned Wynton Slack message
Message-of-the-day (MOTD) that you see when logging into Wynton.

FAQs and Resources

We understand that you may have questions about the transition. Below are some resources to help you navigate the process:

👉 Day 1 Checklist: FAC and CoreHPC
👉 FAC & CoreHPC Overview (short video)
👉 FAC and CoreHPC: Distinct Roles, Unified Research Computing (short video)
👉 FAC Pricing & Services Portal - Unified pricing for FAC compute, storage, and CoreHPC services.
👉 Facility for Advanced Computing (FAC)
👉 CoreHPC
👉 FAC and CoreHPC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
👉 Wynton Transition Project FAQs
👉 Transition from SGE to Slurm + Conversion Guidance – SGE → Slurm Transition Resources

Support and Contact Information

We’re here to help!

For inquiries about the timeline, process, or general details of the transition project, email the Wynton transition team at [email protected].

If you need help understanding the new environment or have questions about associated costs beyond what's available in the FAC Pricing & Services Portal, submit your inquiries at https://tiny.ucsf.edu/getfac and select FAC.

For help with CoreHPC access, usage, or configuration questions, submit a request at https://tiny.ucsf.edu/GetHPC and select CoreHPC.

For questions about the IC FAC (Information Commons Facility for Advanced Computing) environment, email [email protected].

Transition Timeline

December 1, 2025: Freeze on new Wynton Protected account requests, including Information Commons app requests.
January 2026: The New IC FAC environment became available to former Wynton Information Commons (IC) App Server Users. Refer to the Dec. 19th email for details.
January 30, 2026: Wynton Protected was decommissioned. Logins were disabled and Protected data was no longer available to users after the final synchronization.
February 2026: FAC Capacity Storage and CoreHPC environment is available to those Wynton Protected users who have submitted their requests.
October 31, 2026: Last day to request new Wynton accounts. After this date, new users should use FAC and CoreHPC. Exceptions will be considered only when there is a specific need to continue working in Wynton.
January 31, 2027: Last day to run jobs on Wynton. Beginning February 1, no new jobs will be scheduled. Additional details about final data-transfer and cleanup activities will be provided before this date.
February 28, 2027: Wynton retirement. All remaining data and required workflows must be transitioned before this date.

Stay Updated

This page will be regularly updated with important announcements, deadlines, and new resources as the transition progresses. Bookmark this page to stay informed and check back frequently.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience during this transition. Together, we’ll ensure UCSF researchers continue to benefit from world-class HPC resources.