Getting Started with ACCESS-CI

The Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Coordination Ecosystem: Services & Support (ACCESS-CI) is the National Science Foundation’s primary gateway to shared, national-scale cyberinfrastructure. ACCESS-CI connects researchers, educators, and students to powerful computing, data, networking, and support services that extend beyond what most campuses can provide on their own.

This page is designed to support:

• First-time ACCESS-CI users
• Faculty exploring scalable computing for the first time
• CI facilitators onboarding researchers
• Campuses integrating national CI into local strategy

ACCESS-CI is a national coordination layer designed to help researchers succeed as their computational needs grow.

ACCESS-CI lowers the barrier to using advanced cyberinfrastructure by providing:

• Free or low-cost access to national-scale computing and data resources
• A single entry point to multiple NSF-funded systems and services
• Training, documentation, and user support for researchers at all experience levels
• Pathways for institutions without large local HPC resources to remain competitive

For many campuses, especially those building or expanding their CI capacity, ACCESS-CI serves as both a research enabler and a learning environment for scaling workflows.

ACCESS-CI supports a wide range of users, including:

• Faculty researchers running compute- or data-intensive workflows
• Graduate and undergraduate students learning advanced computing methods
• Campus CI facilitators supporting research scale-up
• Institutions without dedicated local HPC or advanced storage
• Researchers preparing proposals that require scalable computing resources

ACCESS-CI is especially valuable for campuses that are growing their CI maturity and want to complement local infrastructure with national resources.

ACCESS-CI coordinates access to multiple categories of cyberinfrastructure, including:

Compute

• High-performance computing (HPC)
• High-throughput computing (HTC)
• GPU and AI-focused systems

Data & Storage

• Large-scale storage platforms
• Data transfer tools
• Long-term data management support

Software & Tools

• Research software stacks
• Workflow and job management tools
• Preconfigured environments on select systems

Support & Training

• User help desks and ticketing support
• Documentation and tutorials
• Training events and onboarding resources

1. Create an ACCESS Account

All users must create an account to access resources.

• https://operations.access-ci.org/identity/new-user

Account creation typically requires:

• Institutional or academic email
• Basic profile and research interests

2. Explore Available Resources

ACCESS-CI provides a catalog of available systems and services so users can identify what best fits their needs.

• https://allocations.access-ci.org/resources 

This step helps users understand:

• What types of computing or storage are available
• Which systems align with their workflows
• Whether local or national resources are the best fit

3. Request an Allocation (When Needed)

Many ACCESS resources require an allocation—an approved request to use a specific amount of compute or storage.
Common allocation pathways include:

• Explore / Start-up allocations for new users
• Research allocations for sustained or large-scale projects
• Education allocations for coursework and training
• https://allocations.access-ci.org/

Not all use cases require large allocations—many users can begin with small or exploratory requests.

4. Get Help and Training

ACCESS-CI places strong emphasis on user support.
Helpful starting points include:

• ACCESS Help Desk and user support
• Documentation and tutorials
• Live and recorded training sessions
• https://support.access-ci.org/
• https://support.access-ci.org/events

ACCESS-CI is often most effective when used as part of a broader campus CI ecosystem, rather than in isolation. Campuses commonly leverage ACCESS-CI to:

• Supplement local HPC or HTC resources
• Support researchers while local infrastructure is being built
• Pilot workflows before institutional investment
• Demonstrate demand and usage in CI planning efforts
• Strengthen grant proposals that require scalable computing

For CI facilitators and IT leaders, ACCESS-CI can serve as both a stopgap solution and a strategic partner in long-term infrastructure planning.