Allocations and Accounts

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A TeraGrid Research Allocation is an allotment of computing time or data space on TeraGrid resources that is given to a researcher who serves as the principle investigator (PI) of an approved project. An account is the specific method through which an individual (or community, in the case of Science Gateways) logs in to a resource to utilize that time or space.

New Allocations

If you are new to the TeraGrid or to high performance computing (HPC) and data storage, you should review the TeraGrid Getting Started Guide, a streamlined summary designed for users with smaller, start-up needs for computation time and storage. Although the same information is covered below, the Getting Started Guide focuses on information specifically for Startup and Education allocations.

To use TeraGrid resources, you must submit a request for an allocation of computing time or data storage space. To make such a request, you need to have an understanding of the type of codes you will be running or the amount and type of data storage you will need, the amount of time you’ll need to complete the simulations you plan to conduct, and any special data needs that accompany a computing time request. Allocation requests are subject to a review process, which varies according to the size of your request.

Researchers may request Startup or Education allocations or larger, peer-reviewed Research allocations. Applications must be submitted through POPS, and approval is handled by committees that meet regularly throughout the year. Research allocations are handled by the TeraGrid Resource Allocations Committee (TRAC), which meets quarterly. The process for requesting start-up allocations is shorter than for Research requests. For definitions of the ranges of the requests and a timetable for submitting requests, see Allocation Types, Sizes, and Deadlines below.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for an allocation, the principal investigator (PI) must be a researcher or educator at a U.S. academic or non-profit research institution. A qualified advisor may apply for an allocation for his or her class, but a high school, undergraduate or graduate student may not be a PI. A postdoctoral researcher can also be a PI. (After receiving an allocation, PIs can request that students be given accounts to use the allocation.)

In general, TeraGrid follows the guidelines described in the current NSF Grant Proposal Guide. However, investigators with support from any funding source, not just NSF, are encouraged to apply. If your institution is not a university or a two- or four-year college, special rules may apply. Contact help@teragrid.org for details.

Computational Resources

TeraGrid resource providers (RPs) offer a variety of HPC systems for allocation. The computing platforms include clusters, scalable-parallel systems, and shared-memory systems with various CPU, memory, communications, and storage configurations. It is important that the platform you choose is a good match for your computational plans. For more information about available machines, including TeraGrid capabilities, please visit the TeraGrid Resources Catalog to view recommended use guidelines for individual resources or search for a resource that meets your criteria.

Time on compute resources is allocated in Service Units (SUs). For the purpose of comparing SUs on different resources, one TeraGrid SU is defined as one processor-hour of wallclock time on a TeraGrid Phase-1 DTF cluster. See the TeraGrid Roaming page for more details. Computing power on machines differs significantly. To compare SUs on different platforms, see the SU Conversion Calculator.

Storage Resources

All TeraGrid compute allocations include access to disk and archival storage to accomplish project goals. In addition, several RPs offer storage platforms to serve other data and storage needs, such as data management, hosting data collections, and large-scale persistent storage. These storage allocations are independent of compute allocations.

Space on storage resources is allocated in terabytes (TB). Storage resources are now allocated via POPS and the TRAC process. SDSC's DataCentral site has information on how to write a strong request for storage allocations.

• Allocated storage resources: see Data Resources page of the TeraGrid Resource Catalog.
• Storage that accompanies an allocation for computation resources: see the specifications in the TeraGrid Resource Catalog for each resource.

In addition, TeraGrid resource providers make a number of data collections available to the community. Researchers interested in those specialized resources should visit the Data Collections page. Use of existing data collections does not require an allocation.

Advanced Support Program

Interested researchers can now request support from TeraGrid's ASTA program and similar programs at various TeraGrid sites as part of the TRAC process. In POPS, submitters will find the Advanced Support Program (ASP) listed among the available resources. ASP offers collaborations between technology experts at selected TeraGrid Resource Providers and users of TeraGrid computational and data resources to identify and pursue opportunities to improve researcher codes. Gateway support may also be requested through this program.

Special requirements apply for these requests. Please see the Advanced Support Program page for details on what to include in this type of request.

Allocation Types, Sizes, and Deadlines

The process for requesting and obtaining access to TeraGrid resources differs depending upon the type and purpose of the allocation being requested. Startup and Education allocations are reviewed continually throughout the year, are the fastest way of getting started on TeraGrid, and are recommended for all new TeraGrid users. Research allocation requests are reviewed at quarterly TRAC meetings¹). The table below summarizes the two levels of request: Startup/Education for startup allocations and Research allocations. All allocations are made for one year, although multi-year allocations are available for experienced PIs to streamline the annual reporting requirements.

Please see the TeraGrid Resource Allocation Policies for guidelines on selecting the committee you should submit your request to and for a description of the review process and criteria. A successful Research request to the TRAC requires a detailed request explaining how the resources will be used.

In most cases, investigators should only have one Research allocation active at any time. The rare exception would be a researcher or research team conducting separate projects in different fields of science. If submitting more than one request, the PI must indicate in each one why they cannot be combined. If the need for separate requests is not sufficiently explained, the review board may combine the requests into a single allocation.

Allocation Types, Limits, and Deadlines

	Startup/Educational Allocation		Research Allocation (TRAC)
Units Requested Service Units (SUs) on Compute Resources Terabytes (TBs) on Data Resources	Maximum compute request		30,000 – Unlimited
	Most systems have a limit of 30,000 SUs, though some may be as high as 200,000 SUs. Please see the Resource Catalog for specific resource limits. Maximum Startup request for TeraGrid Roaming: 50,000 SUs Aggregate request for multiple compute resources cannot exceed 200,000 SUs.
	Storage on disk: 5 TB Storage on tape: 25 TB
Deadlines	N/A		Open Submissions	Close Submissions
			Dec. 15 Mar. 15 1 Jun. 15 Sept. 15	Jan. 15 1 Apr. 15 Jul. 15 Oct. 15
Allocations Begin	Two weeks after submission		April 1 July 1 October 1 January 1
Review Cycle	Within one week		Quarterly 2
Typical Use	Classroom or training accounts and startup accounts requiring small amounts of time		Experienced users with research projects

¹ The TRAC Meeting schedule is available for reviewers on the POPS Review page.
² See the Past Allocations for a list of previous awards.

Writing Your Research Allocation Request

Medium and large projects require a full request; requests for smaller startup allocations require only an abstract. Well written requests contain all the information the review panel requires to assess your project qualifications. Details for writing a request to use any TeraGrid resource are available in the TeraGrid Resource Allocation Policies.

Reviewers of past requests have noted the following characteristics of well-written Research Allocation Requests:

• The research was summarized in context of the current state of the art; it outlined the computational algorithms to be used; and it related those algorithms to subsections of the request.
• The reviewers were provided sufficient information, but not overwhelmed by details.
• Justification for the request was clear, and closely coupled to computational experiments and needs, so that if the committee needed to reduce the original request, it could be done rationally with minimum disruption to the investigator.
• Results from relevant previous allocations, including manuscripts published, accepted, submitted, or in preparation, were summarized and related to the current request.

Tips for writing strong proposals for gateway, computation, and data allocations, as well as examples of well-written, successful requests, are available via the links below. Many of the tips in each article apply to both types of request.

• Requesting a Startup Allocation: Step-by-Step for the First-Time User
• Writing a Successful Research Allocation Request
• Examples of Well-Written Research Allocation Requests
• More Examples of Well-Written Research Allocation Requests
• How to Write a Strong Data Allocation Request
• How to Write a Winning Gateway Proposal

Submitting Your Research Allocation Request

Requests for computing allocations must be submitted electronically via POPS. This includes allocation requests for all TeraGrid systems. POPS accepts PDF, HTML, Microsoft Word, and PostScript file formats, though PDF format is preferred. If you have never submitted a request via POPS before, please follow the steps in the POPS User Guide as you go through the process. If you are familiar with the process, you may go directly to POPS.

Account Information Packet and User Responsibility Form

After a request has been reviewed and allocated, the PI of the project will receive an Account Information Packet via surface mail containing their account information. This packet will arrive by the beginning of the next quarter after the request has been allocated. The packet contains login information for each allocated resource, a TeraGrid-wide login that can be used in the TeraGrid User Portal, and the User Responsibility Form. Each account holder must sign and return the last page of this form by mail or fax within 30 days, or the account will be deactivated. (View sample form in HTML format or sample form as PDF).

Users may access TeraGrid resources and log in to the TeraGrid User Portal immediately upon receiving their packets. Contact the TeraGrid Help Desk if your Account Information Packet does not arrive by the expected time.

Adding Users to Allocations

Upon receiving their Account Information Packet, PIs may authorize additional users on the allocated resources by completing the Add User Form, available after logging in to the TeraGrid User Portal. The process is straightforward:

• Go to the TeraGrid User Portal
• Click on the My TeraGrid tab
• Select Add/Remove User

After your request to add users has been reviewed and accepted, new users will receive their own Account Information Packets via surface mail in about two weeks. All users must sign and mail or fax their own User Responsibility Forms.