Setting up a Project Space

What is a Project Space?

Users can work with files in two different main directories. The first is their personal home directory, found in /home/[username]. The second is within a project directory, found in /project/[project_name]. These project directories provide a space where files can easily be shared and analyzed with collaborators. Using the Group Management Tools tools, users can designate a list of others who can access their files. These designated individuals, if also given an account on the Science Portal, may interact with the files using the various session types available. These features enable truly collaborative work, e.g., allowing a team to jointly reduce large quantities of data from a project.

How to Request a Project Space

In order to request a project space, you will need to have a name for the space (the name of the project directory). As with home directories, the default diskspace allocation is 200GB. If you anticipate needing more than this (e.g., working with large datasets such as from ALMA or the VLA), you will need an estimate of the amount of diskspace that you will need. (Requests to change the diskspace allocation at a later date are also possible.) Once you have this information, if you are on the Slack workspace, the easiest way to request a project space is to post the request there, with a note to Kevin Casteels. Alternatively, you can email the request to support@canfar.net

How to Give Collaborators Access

Collaborators will require a free CADC account in order to be added as people with designated access to the project space files. A CADC account can be requested at https://www.cadc-ccda.hia-iha.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/en/auth/request.html If your collaborators only wish to download the files and analyze them on their own computers, this step is sufficient; they can access the files on the web at https://www.canfar.net/storage/arc/list/project/[project_name] or use the VOS Tools to download them. If your collaborators wish to work on the files directly on the Science Portal, they will need to request an account on the system, either through emailing support@canfar.net or you can post a request on the slack channel on their behalf (please include their CADC username and the project that you’d like them to have access to).

Finally, you can manage which users are able to access your files on the project space using the group management tools.