Managed Cluster Service

The Department has some generally accessible computers called the Managed Cluster Service (formerly known as the PWF), managed by the Desktop Services team in the University Computing Service (UCS).

The Chemistry Department Managed Cluster Service (MCS) is for the use of all staff and students of the Department, and provides networked PCs and Apple Macintosh computers running a wide range of software, together with printers and scanners and a central filestore. The PCs in our MCS rooms can run under the Linux operating system as an alternative to the standard Windows XP. It is also possible to login remotely from any Internet-connected computer to the MCS Linux service.

• General information about the MCS
• Image rollout dates (Mac and PC)
• MCS articles via the UCS News service...


• Printing and how to purchase printer credit
• software available on the Chemistry Department MCS
• Scanners available

The Chemistry MCS consists of four rooms:

• G30 (25 PCs and laser printer)
• 154 (10 PCs and laser printer)
• the Department library (20 PCs, 4 iMacs, colour laser printer and two scanners)
• the Cybercafe (8 iMacs) and if we find you doing this to a keyboard you will receive an invoice for a new one.

The MCS in G30 is often in use for teaching during term, when it cannot be used by others; please see the current course schedule.