• Account creation procedure for Non-Purdue users
• How to subscribe cms-t2-users mailing_list
• Where to get support on technical issues
• How can users write to dCache user space
  
• The grp area usage policy
  
• The scratch area usage policy
  
• dCache space usage policy
  
• SITECONF issue
• When and where to install a new CMSSW version
• Apply for membership of the CMS HyperNews
• How to see the space usage of /tmp directory and others
  

Account creation procedure for Non-Purdue users

Non-Purdue users who want to apply for a shell access to our resources, 
if you are working on same physics analysis topics as ours, please proceed as follows:

1) Download privilege form and form 6, fill them out and fax them back to Norbert at (765) 494-0706.
In the form, you should fill Norbert Neumeister as your Purdue sponsor, and be sure to ask accounts for accessing Lear and Condor, also put "CMS account" at the comment field.
2) If you have your account you can login to the following machine:
ssh -l username cms.rcac.purdue.edu
3) The default quota with your account is 10G, additional storage space can be requested. 

How to subscribe cms-t2-users mailing list

The benefits to subscribe This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it mailing list are that local users can receive news, events and downtime notification of Purdue CMS Tier-2 center automatically.

To subscribe the mailing list This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , users shall send email to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it from email box that you want to be added to the mailing list. Note that you should put "subscribe" in the subject area and content area only. Then, you will receive the confirmation email from mailing list server. Be sure to follow the instruction of the confirmation email to activate your subscription.

Where to get support on technical issues

Be sure to read this FAQ first, if you still have problems, please send your issues to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it   mailing list.

How can users write to dCache user space

The correct path to the Purdue dCache is /store/user. Users shall use srmmkdir to create a directory at /store/user/mydirectory, then use srmcp to copy data. The examples of srmmkdir and srmcp are at here.

The grp area usage policy

Files at /grp/cms/users will be backed up. Note that this storage space should be used for sharing files and codes, but should *not* be used for large data files that will be accessed from jobs running at a worker node.

The scratch area usage policy

For fast data access and transfer, please use /scratch/osg/cmssw. The scratch area is not backed up and files older than 60 days will be cleaned up automatically.

dCache space usage policy

For large amount of data access and transfer, grid users please use dCache space /store/users/uscms.  Note that the grid users should have "cms voms proxy" to write to dCache space.

SITECONF issue

When users run CMSSW_2_0_0 version or latest and got an error "NO SITECONF", please inform Admin to install a link pointing to SITECONF.

When and where to install a new CMSSW version

Admin will install a new CMSSW version only when several people are interested in the same new CMSSW version, when a formal release  will not come out soon, and the free  space is still available at /grp/cms/purdueCMS area.

Apply for membership of the CMS Hypernews

If you do not intend to get a CERN unix account. Please send an email to Peter Elmer at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it They can create a HN membership for you by hand. They take the username you prefer and append ".nocern" to it. Then you can log in lepton.rcac.purdue.edu, run the command:

htpasswd -n username.nocern

This will ask you (twice) for a password and then print a line with some encrypted stuff. If you send Peter that line, he can create the HN membership for you.

How to see the space usage of /tmp directory and others

df -h  # this command can show the space usage of all mounted directories

du -sh # this command can show the total usage of the files and directories at your current directory

du -sh * # this command can show the usage of each sub-directory at your current directory