What is the TeraGrid, and how can I get started using it?

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What is the TeraGrid?

The TeraGrid is a large distributed cyberinfrastructure available for non-classified scientific research. Funded by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) to enable science innovation and coordinated through the Grid Infrastructure Group (GIG) at the University of Chicago, the TeraGrid helps researchers solve complex scientific problems by providing leadership class compute, visualization, and storage resources, and advanced support, through the partnership of 11 Resource Provider (RP) sites throughout the US:

TeraGrid resources are connected using high-performance networks to provide researchers with more than 750 teraflops of computing power, high-resolution visualization environments, and data storage facilities to store more than 30 petabytes of data. Researchers also can access more than 100 discipline-specific databases, and use a wide variety of scientific applications grid computing toolkits.

For further information about compute and visualization resources on the TeraGrid, see the Resource Catalog in the TeraGrid User Support documentation.

For more information about TeraGrid software, see:

Getting started

To get started using the TeraGrid's computing, visualization, and storage resources, and advanced support services, a researcher may apply for a TeraGrid allocation or request to be added to an existing one:

To apply for an allocation, use the Partnerships Online Proposal System (POPS); see How do I apply for a new TeraGrid allocation? For eligibility requirements, see Who is eligible to apply for a TeraGrid allocation?
A principal investigator (PI) can add users to an existing allocation via the TeraGrid User Portal; see How can I add or remove a user from an existing TeraGrid allocation?

You can expect to wait roughly three weeks from when you make your request to receive your account information, which will arrive via US Postal Service surface mail.

When you receive your account information, fill out and return the User Responsibility Form. The TeraGrid must have this form on file before your account is activated.

Once your account is activated, you can begin computing on and moving data across multiple TeraGrid resources; see What's the recommended method for everyday access to the TeraGrid?

If you need assistance from a consultant as you try to use the TeraGrid, email help@teragrid.org . If you are a researcher at IU, or you wish to use IU resources accessible via the TeraGrid, you may also email the High Performance Applications group at IU.

For more, see the Getting Started Guide in the TeraGrid User Support documentation.

This document was developed with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. 0503697 to the University of Chicago and subcontracted to Indiana University. Additional support was provided by IU through its participation in the TeraGrid, which is supported by the NSF under Grants No. 0833618, SCI451237, SCI535258, and SCI504075. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.

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Last modified on October 22, 2008.

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