Material for NEST-related tutorial at LASCON IX

This material is publicly available at https://github.com/Lascon2024/nest_tutorials.

📝 Please fork this repo and then clone the fork.
⚡ Do not clone this repo directly.

Working with the examples here

1. Fork this repository
2. Clone the repository to your virtual machine at https://lab.ebrains.eu
3. Commit and push all changes you make at https://lab.ebrains.eu

⚡ Material not pushed from EBRAINS back to Gitlab may disappear overnight

How EBRAINS manages Virtual Machines and your Files

1. Go to https://lab.ebrains.eu
2. Choose Germany (Fenix DE - Jülich Supercomputing Center (JSC)) or Switzerland (Fenix CH - Swiss National Supercomputing Center (CSCS)
3. Remember which one you chose
4. Upon "Start Server", EBRAINS spins up a virtual machine (VM) for you with 2GB RAM
5. You have a file browser to your left
   • Top level is you local home on the VM—exists as long as the VM
   • shared contains long-term storage but needs a Collab and is not suitable for storing Git repos: Do not use for now.
   • drive is deprecated, do not use.
6. Clone your fork of the nest_tutorials git repo under the "Git" logo in the left margin. There you also find tools for managing Git.
7. Always commit and push at the end of a session.
8. EBRAINS will from time to time shut down inactive VMs. Any material in your VM home directory will then be lost—remember to push!
9. You can shut down a server yourself via File > Hub Control Panel. The entire VM including your home on the VM is deleted then.

Direct access to the execution sites

If you remember on which site your VM is running, you can contact it directly

• https://lab.ch.ebrains.eu
• https://lab.de.ebrains.eu

Please do not create VMs on both sites simultaneously to avoid resource waste!

How NEST Desktop Stores Models

• NEST Desktop stores models as cookies in your browser
• Models will disappear when your browser cleans up cookies

⚡ Always export your models to disk for safe storage