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How to Run Folding@Home in the Azure-cloud
IMPORTANT NOTE: This guide is currently in BETA-state. Things will
probably not work 100% of the time. Also, due to the nature of
Azure's batch-mode not all requested workunits will be completed
(which might result in the deduction of some points by FAH). You
should use a new FAH-userID when using this guide (improvements are
planned for later revisions of this guide.)
Setup Azure
After signing up for your azure-account you can click on the
following link to create a new batch-account: https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.BatchAccount
I recommend using Chrome to access the azure-portal. Fill
the form with the following information:
Resource Group: Click 'Create New' and give it a name,
e.g. 'myRecGroup'
Account name: Just a name for your batch-account
Location: Choose 'East US'
Leave the other options at the default-settings.
Click on 'Review+Create' at the bottom and then on
'Create" on the following page to create the batch-account
Click on 'OK' at the bottom to create
the azure-pool.
You'll also need a storage account. Enter "storage" into the search
box at the very top of the page. Then click on the option "Storage
accounts" that appears, then click on Add. Fill the form with the
following information:
Section 'Project Details'
Resource group: Select the previously created resource group
Section 'Instance Details'
Storage account name: Choose a new name for your storage
account. Fill in the name in the following field (this is
required for the generation of the startup-script):
Click on 'Review+Create' at the bottom and then on
'Create" on the following page to create the storage-account
Once the storage account has been created (it will take a few seconds),
go to your storage account (type in the name of the storage account in
the search box at the very top of the page). Then scroll down until you
see the option 'Files' and click on it. Then create a new file-share by
clicking on "+File share" at the top of the page. Fill the form with the
following information:
Name: Choose a new name for your File-share. Fill in the name
in the the following field (this is required for the generation of
the startup-script)
Quota: right now each node requires 500MB of storage. Choose a
quota well above the minimum, e.g. 20GB if you want to run 20
nodes.
Go again back to the storage account and click on 'Access keys' in
the left window. Copy over the value you see in the field 'key' into the
field below (there are two keys: key1 and key2 - you can pick either. It
should look like a long string of random characters)
Finally, enter you Folding@Home-Team-ID and User-ID in the fields below
and click on "Generate script!":
FAH-Team
FAH-User
This is your personalized startup-script:
Now go back to the pool you have created earlier. Go to 'Start
task' and fill the form with the following information:
Command line: here you have to copy&paste your
personalized script from the textfield above
User identity: 'Task Autouser, Admin'
Leave the other options at the default.
Click on 'Save'
Now go back to 'Overview' and click on 'Scale'. Enter the
desired number of nodes in the field 'Low priority nodes' (e.g. 20 if
you have MSDN Enterprise), and click on 'Save'.
Do you need help following the instructions? You can contact me at