Disk space on faculty/research clusters

Users' home directories are located on the LCSR NetApp. Users are given quotas on the NetApp in order to minimize their impact both on other users on the same qtree (NetApp's version of a partition) and the smooth functioning of the NetApp itself. Should you find your initial quota too small, you can request additional space (please give an estimate of what you need) in an email to "help".

Should you need large amounts of space, there are several options:

Shared local filesystems
Most machines have some extra disk space set aside in a partition called /hostname/local or /hostname/tmp. You should note that these filesystems are not backed up. Also, please be a "good citizen" in your usage of these filesystems. Don't fill them up or leave large amounts of data there for long periods of time.
LCSR's experimental filer
LCSR has a home built raided (so any single disk failure will not cause data loss) filer with about 3/4 TB space available on it. It is mounted at /filer/tmp on the faculty and research clusters and, like the locally shared disks, is not backed up. Usage on the filer is a matter of public record. More details on the filer are contained in a message sent to users of the filer on September 22, 2004, reminding them that the filer is not backed up. This message is also posted on the filer at
```
    /filer/tmp/README.this-filesystem-is-not-backed-up
```
Buy space on our NetApp
Larger amounts of space can be arranged for on our NetApp for individuals or groups needing backed up space. This space is subject to the same restore policy that our home directories on the NetApp are. (Essentially, we keep backups for up to two months and have a fall back position in case of hardware failure.) Space on the NetApp is about $8/GB for one year. For details, see our page on purchasable disk space.

The first two options are available to users without staff intervention. Obviously, neither of those options is appropriate for storage of data which you would be seriously inconvenienced if you lost. Should you need backed up space on the NetApp, you should arrange that through Rick Thomas or Don Smith.

This page last updated August 31, 2006.