[Completion] ASPIRE 2A Shutdown Due to Cooling Issue

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Dear ASPIRE 2A Users,

 

We are pleased to inform you that the cooling and chilled water supply issue at the NUS i4 Data Centre has been addressed and the environment has stabilised.

Following successful system recovery and validation, ASPIRE 2A has been released back to users at 09:00 AM today.

Service Restoration Details
Date: Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Service Resumption: 09:00 AM (Singapore Time)
Status: Service Restored

 

Users may resume access to ASPIRE 2A+ and submit workloads immediately.

NSCC will continue to monitor the system and data centre environment closely following service restoration.
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the NSCC Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email [email protected].

We apologise for the disruption and appreciate your patience and understanding.

Thank you.

 

 

Warm regards,
The NSCC Team

 

 

[Service Disruption Update] ASPIRE 2A Shutdown Due to Cooling Issue

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Dear ASPIRE 2A Users,

 

The cooling and chilled water supply issue at the NUS i4 Data Centre has been addressed, and the cooling environment has stabilised.

 

Recovery of the ASPIRE 2A system is currently in progress. NSCC is actively working to restore services as quickly and safely as possible.

 

Recovery Status

  • Date: Tuesday, 11 August 2026
  • Current Status: System recovery and validation in progress

 

The following activities are currently underway:

  • System recovery activities are continuing.
  • Data integrity checks are being performed to verify the integrity and consistency of the data following the shutdown.
  • Additional system health and validation checks has to be completed before the service can be released back to users.

 

ASPIRE 2A will remain unavailable while these recovery and validation activities are ongoing.

 

A further update will be provided once there is a significant change in status or when the system is ready to resume service.

 

If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the NSCC Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email [email protected].

 

We appreciate your patience and understanding while we complete the recovery activities.

Thank you.

 

 

Warm regards,
The NSCC Team

 

 

[Service Disruption] ASPIRE 2A and ASPIRE 2A+ Shutdown Due to Cooling Issue

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Dear ASPIRE 2A and ASPIRE 2A+ Users,

NSCC is currently experiencing a cooling issue at the NUS i4 Data Centre due to insufficient chilled water flow from the facility supply. Despite ongoing troubleshooting by the facility management team, the cooling condition has deteriorated.

To protect the infrastructure from potential thermal damage, NSCC is commencing a controlled shutdown of both ASPIRE 2A and ASPIRE 2A+.

Incident Details

  • Date: Tuesday, 11 August 2026
  • Issue Start Time: Approximately 10:00 PM on Monday, 10 August 2026 (Singapore Time)
  • Current Status: Controlled system shutdown in progress

Expected Impact

As a result of the shutdown:

  • ASPIRE 2A and ASPIRE 2A+ services will be unavailable.
  • Running jobs will be interrupted and may need to be resubmitted after service restoration.
  • Queued jobs will not be scheduled while the systems remain unavailable.
  • Login access and associated services will be unavailable during the shutdown and recovery period.

NSCC Operations and the facility management team are continuing to troubleshoot the cooling issue. The systems will only be brought back into service after the chilled water supply and cooling environment have stabilised, and the infrastructure has been assessed as safe for operation.

A further update will be provided once the cooling issue has been resolved and the recovery status of ASPIRE 2A and ASPIRE 2A+ is confirmed.

If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the NSCC Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email [email protected].

We apologise for the disruption and appreciate your understanding while we take the necessary measures to protect the infrastructure.

Thank you.

Warm regards,
The NSCC Team

 

[Completed] ASPIRE 2A OS Patch on​ 7 August 2026​ from 3pm to 5pm

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Dear ASPIRE 2A users,

Please be informed that the kernel patching on ASPIRE 2A has been completed. You may access the system as per usual.

Do contact our Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

 

Thank you.

Warm regards,
The NSCC Team

Scheduled Check Point Firmware Upgrade for ASPIRE 2A and ASPIRE 2A+ System On 15 Aug 2026, 10am to 2pm​

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Dear Users,

Please be informed that a Check Point firewall firmware upgrade for the ASPIRE 2A and ASPIRE 2A+ systems has been scheduled on

15 August 2026 (Saturday), from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

This upgrade is part of our ongoing efforts to enhance system security and ensure the continued reliability, availability, and stability of the ASPIRE infrastructure.

 

Impact during the upgrade

Users may experience intermittent connectivity issues. If your session is disconnected, please attempt to log back in after approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

 

Please contact our Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Thank you.

 

Warm regards,

The NSCC Team

 

 

[Urgent Maintenance] ASPIRE 2A OS Patch on​ 7 August 2026​ from 3pm to 5pm

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Dear ASPIRE 2A users,

To enhance the security, stability, and reliability of the ASPIRE 2A environment, NSCC is commencing a recurring monthly operating system (OS) patching programme for the ASPIRE 2A login nodes. This maintenance enables us to apply the latest security updates, address known vulnerabilities, and maintain a secure and supported HPC platform.

 

The scheduled maintenance will take place as follows:

Maintenance Details

  • Date: Friday, 7 August 2026 (Today)
  • Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Singapore Time)

 

Expected Impact

During the maintenance window, the ASPIRE 2A login nodes will be rebooted as part of the patch installation process.

As a result:

  • Users connected to the login nodes will experience session disconnections during the reboot.
  • Users may reconnect after the login nodes have been restored to service.
  • Access to the ASPIRE 2A environment may be unavailable intermittently during the maintenance window.

 

User Action Required

To minimise disruption, please:

  • Save all work before 3:00 PM.
  • End any interactive sessions prior to the maintenance window.
  • If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the NSCC Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email [email protected].

 

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we implement this maintenance programme to help ensure the continued security, stability, and reliability of the ASPIRE 2A service.

Please contact our Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

 

Thank you.

Warm regards,
The NSCC Team

[Cybersecurity Advisory] Temporary blocking of SSH and RDP in Exanet till 7 August 2026​

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Dear A*STAR Users,

Please be advised that A*STAR IT Shared Services (ITSS) is currently responding to a cybersecurity incident affecting Exanet, the ASTAR scientific network.

As part of their containment measures, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and Secure Shell (SSH) access over Exanet have been temporarily disabled. As a result, A*STAR users may experience difficulties accessing the NSCC HPC environment and other systems that rely on Exanet remote connectivity.

At this time, there is no indication that the NSCC HPC platform is affected by this cybersecurity incident. The disruption is due to the temporary remote access restrictions implemented on the Exanet network.

According to ITSS, restoration of RDP and SSH access is targeted by 7 August 2026, subject to the completion of their investigation, remediation, and security validation activities.

If you are unable to access the HPC environment remotely during this period, we recommend planning your work accordingly. Should you encounter issues that appear unrelated to the Exanet access restrictions, please contact the NSCC Service Desk at [email protected]

We appreciate your understanding and patience while ITSS works to restore normal services. We will provide further updates if there are any significant developments affecting access to the NSCC HPC environment.

 

Please contact our Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Thank you.

Warm regards,
The NSCC Team

 

[Completed] ASPIRE 2A and ASPIRE 2A+ System Maintenance on 25 Jul 2026, 10am to 1pm​

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Dear A*STAR & NEA Users,

Please be informed that an emergency Cisco Catalyst firmware upgrade for the ASPIRE 2A and ASPIRE 2A+ systems is scheduled on 25 July 2026, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
This urgent maintenance is necessary to ensure the long-term reliability, uptime, and stability of the systems.

 

Impact During the Upgrade

A*STAR and NEA users may not be able to access ASPIRE 2A and ASIPRE 2A+ system via ExaNet during the maintenance windows.

Please contact our Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Thank you.

Warm regards,
The NSCC Team

 

[Completed] ASPIRE 2A Scheduled System Maintenance From 3 Jun 2026, 9am to 8 Jun 2026, 4pm​

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Dear ASPIRE 2A users,

 

We are pleased to announce that the scheduled system maintenance for ASPIRE 2A has been completed. You may proceed to use the systems as per usual.

ACTION REQUIRED

A. Reset Password and SSH Keys

Following our recent system recovery, all users are required to update their login credentials and reset their SSH keys to ensure environment security.
Please follow the instructions below based on your organization’s enrollment:
1. Singapore Access Federation (SGAF) Users:
  • Log in to the web portal at user.nscc.sg to update your account password and upload your new SSH public key.
2. All Other Users:
  • Log in directly to your designated login node via your terminal or SSH client to perform your password change and update your SSH key.
Security Note:
Once your new SSH public key is successfully uploaded and verified, please ensure you delete your old SSH key from the system.

 

B. VPN Certificate Verification

For VPN users, please be informed that the VPN security certificate for vpn1.nscc.sg has been renewed.
As a result, some users may see a Check Point Endpoint Security warning indicating that the site certificate fingerprint has changed. This is expected due to the certificate renewal.
Please verify that the VPN site is shown as vpn1.nscc.sg. If the site name is correct, click “Trust and Continue” to proceed with the VPN connection.
Do not proceed if the VPN site name appears unfamiliar or different.

Please contact our Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

 

Thank you.

Warm regards,
The NSCC Team

[Extension] ASPIRE 2A Scheduled System Maintenance From 3 Jun 2026, 9am to 8 Jun 2026, 4pm

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Dear ASPIRE 2A users,

Please be advised that the release of the ASPIRE 2A system following its scheduled maintenance is being extended.

During our final checks, a Slingshot fabric issue was identified that impacts storage stability. Because system stability is critical to ensuring a safe and secure service restoration, the ASPIRE 2A release is being held until this matter is fully resolved and validated.

Our team is actively working on the resolution, and we will provide a further update as soon as a new release time is confirmed.

Thank you for your patience as we ensure the system meets all operational standards.
Please contact our Helpdesk via the Service Desk Portal or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Thank you.

Warm regards,
The NSCC Team