> How to get an account

Before You Sign Up

Please note that due to the shared nature of the FASRC cluster and its associated storage systems, FERPA blocks for specific individual information cannot be accommodated within the cluster and its associated systems. Information such as, but not limited to, name, username, and lab affiliation may be available to other cluster users. Please contact FASRC if you have questions or concerns.

If you are unsure whether you qualify for an RC account, please see Qualifications and Affiliations.

Detailed information and steps for using the signup tool can be found here.

Please Note: You may have only one RC account. If you need to add cluster access, change labs, or gain membership in a different/additional lab group, please submit a help ticket. Do not sign up for a second account. This is unnecessary and against our account policies.

Also please be aware that we periodically disable accounts that have not been used for a long time. If this happens and you later need to use your account again, please have your sponsor contact us to approve re-enabling, or contact us if you need to change to a new sponsor.

The Process

To request an account to access resources operated by Research Computing. (Cluster, Storage, Software Downloads, Workstation access, Instrument sign-up, etc.), you will use the Account Request Tool. Please review the information below before doing so.  (Note: Firefox works best.  Chrome and other browsers sometimes cause errors)

PLEASE NOTE: Do not select FACULTY as your job type is you do not have a Harvard faculty appointment. If you are a researcher with additional rights (fellowship, PI-like rights, funding, etc.), please select STAFF or POSTDOC. Faculty accounts are intended only for those holding an active Harvard faculty member appointment. Please refer to the FAS PI Eligibility Guidlines which include a handy table toward the end.

• If you would like to see more detailed instructions and screenshots, please visit Account Signup

• If you need more info on signing up for instrument access during or after your account signup, please see Instrument Sign-up
  If you are signing up for instrument access at HCBI and are from an un-supported school or external vendor, please see HCBI Registration

• CLUSTER ACCESS: Please note that if you wish to be able to log into the cluster and/or run jobs, you will need to select Cluster Access during sign-up. If you are signing up just for instrument access, do not select Cluster Access. You can add cluster access if you need it later.

Once you’ve submitted the request, the process is:

Internal/Harvard Key

If You Selected: Internal/Using Harvard Key to verify your information and qualifications:

1. The request is on hold while the PI is asked to approve or reject it.

2. Once approved, the account is finalized and set up.

3. Once finalized, you receive an automated email confirmation with your new account information and instructions for setting the password.

External/Non-Harvard Key

If You Selected: External/Not using Harvard Key to verify your information and qualifications:

1. You must first meets affiliation requirements in order to request an account.

2. An email is sent to your PI to approve/reject the request.

3. The request is on hold while the PI is asked to approve or reject it.

4. Once approved by the PI, FASRC needs to vet and finalize the account during business hours.

5. Once finalized, you receive an automated email confirmation with your new account information and instructions for setting the password.

Once you’ve received your account creation confirmation email you can then proceed to set up your OpenAuth token and get connected to the FASRC cluster.

The turnaround time is directly related to the PI/Sponsor’s approval of the account. External accounts are sent to the PI/Sponsor for approval first, then reviewed by RC staff during business hours and generally vetted within one business day.

NOTE! If you request “Cluster Use” (the ability to log into the cluster and run jobs on the cluster), attend one of our monthly New User Trainings or watch our Introduction to the Cluster videos.

Account Request Tool

Faculty and Non-Faculty PI Signup

To sign up as a PI sponsor on the cluster, the process is the same as above except that, by selecting a PI-type job title, you will not need to select a sponsor. Please note that your eligibility must be vetted by FASRC staff after you sign up, so please allow time for that. Please refer to the FAS PI Eligibility Guidlines

• FACULTY PI – If you are a Harvard Faculty member with an active and verifiable faculty appointment, select FACULTY for ‘job type’. Doing so will grey out the Sponsor option. You will instead be vetted by FASRC staff.
  Please do not use this option if you are faculty from another university, use EXTERNAL instead.

• NON-FACULTY PI – If you are not  a faculty member but have been conferred PI rights by the university (Note: Being noted as a PI on a grant is not the same as university PI status), please use the NON-FACULTY PI job title. Doing so will grey out the Sponsor option. You will instead be vetted by FASRC staff.
  We may need to follow up with you or the university to verify your PI rights and control of budget. If it is not clear that you have PI rights, your request may be rejected. You can contact us with further details if you do have PI rights and this happens.

Once complete, you can sponsor accounts under your FASRC lab group. For more information on that process, see the For Approvers section here.