Accessing HPSS

Once you have successfully generated a HPSS token, you can access either HPSS system using the HSI and HTAR utilities, NERSC's PFTP utility, or clients that use the FTP protocol. The HPSS User system (archive.nersc.gov) is also capable of performing GSI authentication to its parallel FTP daemon allowing grid-enabled clients to access it.

HPSS cannot be accessed via SSH.

Access from NERSC platforms

hsi -h archive.nersc.gov command

The HPSS Backup system (hpss.nersc.gov) should be specified as "hpss.nersc.gov" when using the HSI utility at NERSC.

HPSS can be accessed interactively and used in batch scripts.

HSI, HTAR, pftp and some FTP clients will look for a .netrc file in your HOME directory. The file should have stanzas for each system that provide your login username and password. This will enable automated authentication or access to HPSS. You will not be prompted for a username/password pair. A sample file showing entries for the HPSS Backup system (hpss.nersc.gov) is provided below.

# comment
 
machine hpss
  login franky
  password 02S&feVYA!UMR_aGljaw....Bx22w%%wp((ubVDfIn7FG2W50jSg== 
 
machine hpss.nersc.gov
  login franky
  password 02S&feVYA!UMR_aGljaw....Bx22w%%wp((ubVDfIn7FG2W50jSg== 

Where the password argument is your HPSS generated authentication token. Ensure there are no group or other permissions on your .netrc file (mode 600 is appropriate).

Access from outside NERSC

The primary user HPSS system is known as "archive.nersc.gov". All new users and most current users utilize the archive system for their archive storage needs.

The backup NERSC HPSS system is "hpss.nersc.gov" and is sometimes referred to as the "regent" system. The backup system is used for system backups, although it does contain some older user data.

archive.nersc.gov can be reached using the hsi and htar utilities and ftp clients. The HSI and HTAR utilities are available for download and use by NERSC users. If you do not have HSI/HTAR behind a firewall, you may see a significant performance improvement by disabling firewall mode that is on by default. To disable firewall mode, see the README document that comes with your downloaded HSI bundle.