This is a beginner session. Researchers across many disciplines use HPC to tackle analyses that would be either inefficient or impossible on a desktop. This session offers: a basic description of the infrastructure and support accessible through Compute Canada and ACENET, with entry-level advice about how to begin; an overview of the software packages available through Compute Canada and ACENET for applications, data analysis, and software development, and how to request specific software relevant to your work; and insight into the potential of parallel computing to accelerate your analysis.