10. Monitoring your Resources

An Introduction to Resources

Your project will have an allocation of home directory disk quota on the SAN and some or all of the following resources:

• Green CPU
• SMP PE hours (fermat)
• Wren CPU
• Disk other than that allocated for home directories, e.g. High Volume disk
• HSM/tape capacity in Gbyte years
• Training days
• Optimisation/Application support days

Please see the resources webpage at www.csar.cfs.ac.uk/project_management/resources.shtml for detailed information on the above.

PI's must sub-allocate some of the project's disk quota to all users, and some of the HSM/tape resource to users who require this facility. Sub-allocation of other resources is entirely optional; if the PI chooses not to sub-allocate other resources, users will have unrestricted access to the project's resources. Your PI has primary control over user's allocations; in general we do not have authority to change user level allocations. Please contact your PI with any queries about your allocation levels.

If a PI needs to exercise more control over usage there are two methods: (i) give allocations to individual users, or (ii) use the facilities to sub-allocate resources to groups of users. Your PI will choose the best method depending on the size and nature of your project.

Checking your user allocations

Your own user allocation levels and usage can be seen in your user record in the registration database (see http://www.csar.cfs.ac.uk/admin/register.shtml). Note that usage will be visible here only if a suballocation has been made. Also note that allocation/usage figures are cumulative from the start of the project.

Viewing usage for a specified time period

For viewing usage over particular periods of time (regardless of whether a sub-allocation exists) there are two methods:

1. The 'lac' command on wren (see man lac).
2. Web-based Usage Reports facility (see http://www.csar.cfs.ac.uk/admin/accounts).

The second option is more flexible and is intended to be the primary tool for usage reporting. Users can also see their project’s (or subproject if applicable) usage via either of these means.

Automated warnings and stopping Mechanism

An automated warning and stopping mechanism exists to enforce user and project level allocations. Cron jobs run nightly to check usage against allocations. Two warnings will be issued via email prior to any stops/sanctions being enforced. Normally the first one of these will be when usage exceeds 90% of the allocation; the second at 95%. Should allocations not be increased and the usage subsequently exceeds 100%, then sanctions will be imposed until the situation is rectified.

Warning emails are sent to the user (if applicable) and the project PI. The CSAR Helpdesk will also receive a copy for information. Upon receiving warnings users should contact their PI to discuss their allocation levels.

Note that sanctions may be imposed on all users in a project if the project itself runs out of any resource. Your PI will have been informed if this is the case, and in general it is the PIs responsibility to rectify the overuse by adjusting the resource balance if possible, and to keep users informed.