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FAQ: Access Issues

This page provides answers to some frequently asked questions relating to obtaining access to the campus HPC clusters. Please review this page before asking HPC staff for help.

How do I get access to the system?

Access to the Zaratan HPC cluster is restricted to those members of the UMD community who belong to an active allocation on the cluster.

Allocations are typically only granted to UMD faculty. Students, post-docs, etc. who are working under the guidance of a faculty member who has an allocation on the cluster can request to be added to that allocation.

Faculty members can obtain allocations in the following ways:

  • All UMD faculty members (e.q. Assistant, Associate, or Full Professors and the equvialent) are eligible to apply for a free allocation from the Allocations and Advisory Committee (AAC).
  • A number of colleges and departments have purchased pools of resources wfrom which they grant allocations to members of their departments. The process and policies about awarding such allocations is totally up to the unit owning the pool --- DIT is not involved in that process. Units might or might not impose charge-back fees for such allocations.
  • Faculty can purchase HPC resources from DIT.

My research group contributed to one of the clusters. How do I get access to the system?

The following process is used for gaining access to the Zaratan cluster for research.

  • Identify the Allocation Owner: Find out who manages your research group's cluster allocation (your colleagues or advisor can help).
  • Request Access: The allocation owner must email hpcc-help@umd.edu, providing your name, University ID, and the allocation group name for the Zaratan cluster.
  • Official Request: Only requests from the recognized allocation owner will be processed.
  • Confirmation: You'll receive an email confirmation to your @umd.edu account within two business days.
  • Monitor Your Email: Keep an eye on your @umd.edu account for important cluster-related communications from systems staff.

My advisor or research group already has an allocation from the AAC. How do I get access to the system?

For the Zaratan cluster, this is the same process as for research groups that contributed to the cluster. Basically, have the point of contact submit a request, as described above.

Can I get access to the system, even if I/my research group did not contribute to one of the campus clusters?

Researchers at the university can gain access to High-Performance Computing (HPC) clusters through the Allocations and Advisory Committee (AAC).

  • AAC's Role: The AAC grants access to HPC clusters for general campus use, prioritizing research that benefits from HPC, such as projects involving parallelization or those needing HPC methodology without building a dedicated cluster.
  • Developmental Allocations: Small "kSU" developmental allocations are available to researchers to test the suitability of HPC resources for their work.
  • No Monetary Charge: AAC-granted allocations are free to applicants.
  • Software Licensing: Software licensing is not included in the allocation. Researchers must provide licenses for restricted software and should consult the Division of Information Technology for compatibility before purchasing.
  • Further Information: See the section on applying for an allocation from the AAC in the knowledge base.

What is a TerpConnect/Glue account and how do I get one?

  • TerpConnect is a Unix environment: It's part of a larger system called Glue, managed by the Division of Information Technology.
  • Access Requires a TerpConnect/Glue Account: This account is essential for accessing various Unix environments, including the Zaratan HPC (High-Performance Computing) clusters.
  • Account Credentials" Your username and password are the same as your campus Directory ID and password.
  • Automatic Activation: Generally, accounts are automatically activated for students, faculty, and staff.
  • Affiliate Accounts:
    • Some affiliate accounts might require manual activation due to service permission issues. In such cases, affiliates should contact their sponsor and/or PHR (Personnel Human Resources) representative. They should also verify the required services for HPC cluster access.
    • People that are not normal members of the university can be sponsored by a faculty member to get an account.
  • Who Needs It: Students, faculty, and staff need TerpConnect for Unix-based tasks.

How do I get an associate/colleague/student/etc added to my allocation?

Danger

Do not share your password with them, or anyone.

To grant someone access to your Zaratan HPC allocation at the University of Maryland, you can either:

  1. Add the user yourself in the ColdFront Allocation Management portal. In particular, you need to:

    1. add the user to your project
    2. add the user to your allocation(s)

  2. Open a ticket with HPC staff requesting they add the user for you. Please include:

    • Your name and @umd.edu email address
    • The name and @umd.edu or @terpmail.umd.edu email address of the person(s) you wish added to your allocation(s)
    • The name(s) of the allocations you wish the users to be added to
    • Expect confirmation within two business days.

Note

When adding an user in ColdFront, you must add the user to both your project and one or more of your allocation(s). If you only add the user to your project, they will not be able to access the cluster.

In general:

  • Requests must come from the PI/owner of the allocation and project.
  • Access to the cluster is limited to members of the UMD community, including faculty, staff, and affiliates.
  • Users must have an active TerpConnect/Glue account.
  • Once the action is taken (either in ColdFront or when HPC staff inform you that they have taken action), it can take up to two hours for provisioning to complete.

I left the university. What will happen to my access to the cluster/data on the cluster?

  • Account Termination:
    • Upon leaving the university (graduation, new job, etc.), HPC access will be revoked.
    • The exact timing of account termination depends on your status and follows general university account termination policies.
    • HPC accounts are deleted shortly after your information no longer appears in the campus LDAP directory.
    • Data in your HPC directories is considered "owned" by the PIs of the allocations via which you were granted access to the HPC cluster. Data will be retained until the PI requests its deletion or transferral to another user, for up to 60 days.
  • Data Recovery/Transfer:
    • If your access is reinstated, quarantined data can be restored.
    • If you need data but won't be reinstated, a UMD colleague with HPC access can have ownership of your data transferred to them.
  • Continued Collaboration:
    • To maintain HPC access for ongoing collaboration, a UMD colleague must sponsor you for affiliate status, which grants access for one year (renewable).
    • Otherwise, all data will be deleted as per university and HPC policy.

Can I access the cluster from a foreign country?

Access to UMD HPC resources from foreign countries is generally allowed, except for countries sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Specifically, the inability to use Duo multifactor authentication in these sanctioned countries prevents access to the Zaratan HPC cluster.