Common Location to Maintain Codes and Shared Data

BC Project: FY10-07
Date of Policy: 30 Sep 2011
Last Updated: 08 Oct 2021 (see Revision Log)

The main objective of this policy is to provide a common location to place applications, codes and data that are shared by multiple users without making use of home directories or scrubbed scratch space. The policy also provides a common space on the Archive to store the data.

This policy requires each center to provide a common directory, accessible on all login and compute nodes, for the installation of user-supported applications and codes. The directory will be accessible from all login and compute nodes via the pre-defined $PROJECTS_HOME environment variable. In addition, each center will provide a project repository on their Archive system to be identified by the $PROJECTS_ARCHIVE environment variable.

All individual projects may request a directory under $PROJECTS_HOME and/or $PROJECTS_ARCHIVE. The top-level directory ownership will be set to the username of the point of contact (POC) for the project directory. This user will have full access rights and will not be required to use any specialized account to make changes. The default group for the directory will be set to the POC's default group. A POC may choose to allow access permissions to a different group, in which case the POC must either specify the existing group to use or request to create a new one. It is the responsibility of the account owner to maintain proper access controls for any restricted data that resides in their project directory.

To request a new "project directory" the following information should be communicated to the HPC Help Desk:

  • Desired DSRC system where a project directory is being requested.
  • POC Information: Name of the sponsor of the project directory, username and contact information.
  • Short Description of Project: Short summary of the project, which describes the need for a project directory.
  • Desired Directory Name: This will be the name of the directory created under $PROJECTS_HOME and/or $PROJECTS_ARCHIVE.

Project directories will be handled according to the user data retention policies as defined in BC policy FY13-02 if the project directory POC ceases being an account holder on the system.

Backup and Quota

$PROJECTS_HOME directories will be backed up by the centers on the same schedule as home directories specified in BC policy FY12-01 (Minimum Home Directory Size and Backup Schedule). Users are still responsible to safeguard their own data.

Some centers impose quotas in the use of $PROJECTS_HOME. Therefore, when requesting a new project directory, users are strongly advised to include in their request an estimated size in Gigabytes to ensure their request can be accommodated.

$PROJECTS_ARCHIVE data is not backed up. For particularly critical data, the owner of a $PROJECTS_ARCHIVE repository may consider keeping a second copy at another DSRC.

Revision Log
Date Revision
08 Oct 2021BC Team Audit
05 Mar 2021Added $PROJECTS_ARCHIVE
18 Apr 2019Added a new section on "Backup and Quota"
31 May 2018BC Team Audit
09 Jun 2016BC Team Audit
05 May 2014BC Team Audit
22 Oct 2013Clarified scrubbing and backup requirements
23 Sep 2013Removed reference to the HPC Help Desk web site
25 Apr 2012BC Team Audit