NIM Guide for Users

Getting Started

The NERSC Information Management (NIM) system is a web portal used to view and modify user account, usage, and allocations information.

First Time Login

The first time you log in to NIM, you will have to change your NIM password. Your NIM password is also your NERSC password and all NERSC passwords must abide by certain requirements. See Passwords.

Logging In

To log into the NIM system, point your web browser to the URL http://nim.nersc.gov. Please use this URL as a bookmark for NIM. If you have bookmarked a different URL, you may have to log in twice.

Enter your NERSC username and NIM password. Your NIM password is available from the NERSC Account Support Office, 1-800-66NERSC, option 2.

You can only have one active NIM session on your local computer. If you try to log into NIM a second time, you will see this message:

Another NIM session is currently active on your computer. If you continue to log in, it will be terminated.

You can choose to either continue, which will quit your previous session, or cancel, which will leave your other session intact.

Browser Requirements

To use NIM you need a Web browser that can process tables, frames and Javascript. Your browser also needs to accept cookies (for authentication). The browsers listed below are freely available and are compatible with NIM:

• Firefox
• Safari
• Internet Explorer

You must set your browser to enable Javascript and to accept cookies.

• For Firefox click Preferences from the Firefox menu.
  1. Select the Content tab and make sure that JavaScript is enabled.
  2. Select the Privacy button and make sure that "Accept cookies from sites" is enabled.
• For Safari click Preferences from the Safari menu. Then select the Security button and make sure that JavaScript is enabled and that you Accept cookies "Only from sites I visit".
• For Internet Explorer select Internet Options from the Tools menu.
  1. Under the General tab click the Settings button for Temporary Internet Files, and then for Check for newer versions of stored pages select "Every visit to the page".
  2. Under the Security tab select Medium (or less) as the security level for the Internet. Or you can set the custom level to allow Java, Javascript and cookies.

Problems Accessing NIM?

• Need your initial NIM password? Need your NIM password reset? Contact the NERSC Account Support Office (800-66-NERSC, menu option 2; or 510-486-8612; or send email to accounts@nersc.gov).
• Can't log in? Contact the NERSC Consultants (800-66-NERSC, menu option 3; or 510-486-8611; or send email to consult@nersc.gov).

Navigating Around NIM

NIM's web interface is divided into three areas (or frames):

1. The NIM main menu (upper left frame) contains the links to every part of the NIM interface.
2. The Search menu (upper right frame) allows you to select search criteria.
3. The Display area (lower frame) 

NIM main menu

1. The My Stuff pull-down has links to your information and other commonly used features.
2. The Search pull-down allows you to search for information.
3. The Reports pull-down provides usage reports.
4. The Actions pull-down allows you to change information, e.g. your defaut charge account, your default shell.
5. The Quick Search allows you to quickly get the information you need about individual projects or users.

Searching

The Search menu (upper right frame) allows you to select search criteria.  The search criteria are organized into "search rows".  You control the number of rows by clicking the More or Fewer links to add or remove a row. Use the Submit Query button to execute your search.  Each search row conssists of:

• logical operator pull-down menu(s)
• a search item pull-down.  You can click the select fields link (located towards the top of this frame, before the search rows) to retrieve additional search items that are not displayed by default in the pull-down.
• a write-box in which to type the value of the search item. If you use List? to select the value do not write anything in this box.
• a List? button: used to select a value for certain search items (not all search items have pre-defined lists associated with them)
• a Sort Order pull-down 
• a Hide? click-box used to indicate whether you would like this item suppressed in the display
• (for some searches) a Subt? click-box used to indicate whether you want to sub total this item.  These searches also have a Sums only? click-box (located below the search rows) used to indicate that you wish to see only the summary rows for the search items which have Subt? selected.

Formatting the Display Area

Sorting

Columns can be sorted by clicking on one of the arrows that are above each column heading. Clicking on the arrow on the left sorts the column in ascending (alphabetical down the column, values increase down the column) order. Clicking on the right arrow sorts the column in descending (values decrease down the column) order.

The first column you click on is the primary sort. The next is the second sort criterion, etc. Note that the use of these arrows might override a search order you selected in the query frame. (The sort orders specified for entities that are subtotaled are respected and cannot be changed by the use of sort arrows in the output display; rather the sort orders you specify with the arrows are applied within the "subtotal groups".)

You can not "deselect" a sort: if you want to change the primary, secondary, etc. sort criteria you must submit a new query.

Format Options

By default output is displayed in an HTML table (HTML option).  Other formatting options that might be available (depending on the display):

• Static HTML or Plain text: show the display without any clickable links
• Select Columns: select other columns for display (a pop-up window allows you to remove and/or add columns).

User Account Information

When project users first login to NIM they are in the Account Usage display area.  The area consists of seven tabs.  Project users see their Account Usage tab; PIs and project managers see their Roles tab.  You can navigate between tabs by clicking on them.

Account Usage Tab

How to get here:

1. My Stuff pull-down in NIM main menu --> select My Account Usage
2. Select Login Name from pull-down under Quick Search in NIM main menu --> type the login name in the box --> click Go

The Account Usage Summary display shows a user's MPP, Cloud, and HPSS account usage and settings.  At the bottom of this page Current HPSS Usage shows how many files you have in HPSS, the amount of space used (in gigabytes) and the amount gigabytes transferred in or out of HPSS so far during the current allocation yea

Logins by Host Tab

The Login Names by Host display shows your status, default login shell, default Unix file group, and default charge repo for each system you have access to.

Unix Groups Tab

The Unix Groups display shows which Unix groups you are a member of on each system you have access to.

Roles Tab

The Roles display shows what role you have (User, PI, PI Proxy) in each project you are a member of.  

Contact Info Tab

How to get here:

The Contact Info display shows your email address, work phone number, email address and work location.  If you contact information changes, please click the Update link at the top left of the display to correct it. It is important that we have current contact information so that we can contact you.

Grid Certificates Tab

This is where you register your grid certificate,  See Grid Certificates.

Managing Your User Account with NIM

This section explains what you need to know to customize your user account to meet your needs and to keep it up-to-date.

Answering Your Security Questions

How to get here:

Actions pull-down in NIM main menu --> select Set Security Questions

Once you have answered your security questions you will be able to reset your NIM password yourself even if you have forgotten it or it has expired (which happens every six months).

Self Service Password Change Procedures

In order to use the Self Service Password change procedure after you have answered your Security Questions, click on the link "Forgot your NIM Password?" on the login page for the NIM web interface. Then enter your NERSC username and the letters from a Security Captcha image and click the Request Validation Code button.  NERSC will send a validation code to the email address that we have on file for your account.  Enter the valdation code that we send you into the form and click the Check validation code button.  You will then be asked to answer one of your Security Questions.  If you answer it correctly you will be able to enter a new NIM (NERSC) password.

Forgot Your NERSC Username?

If you have forgotten your username, click on the link "Forgot your Username?" on the login page for the NIM web interface.  Then enter your email address (it must match the one we have on file for you) and the letters from a Security Captcha image and click the Request Username button.  NERSC will then email you your username.

Changing your NERSC password

How to get here:

1. Select Change My Password link in the NIM main menu
2. Actions pull-down in NIM main menu --> select Change NIM Password

The NIM (or NERSC) password is used whenever a password is required at NERSC.  NIM passwords must adhere to DOE password policies; See Passwords.

Changing Your Default Login Shell

How to get here:

• Actions pull-down in NIM main menu --> select Change Shell

You will see a list of machines (called hosts) for which the default login shell can be changed in the Change Shell display. Select the desired shell for the appropriate machine(s) and click the Save button.

Changing Your Default Repository (Charging MPP Usage to the Correct Account)

Allocations of NERSC computer time are awarded into project accounts, called repositories or repos. Each user has a default repository. All interactive charges are charged to the default repo. Batch jobs are also charged to the default repo if no repo (account) is specifically assigned to the job.

You can see your default repo on the Account Usage Summary page.  For most users this is the page that is displayed when you first login to NIM (or select My Account Usage from the My Stuff pull-down in the NIM main menu).  Look at the columns:

• Dflt Now?: a Y indicates the default repo currently in effect
• Base Repo? a Y indicates that this is the repo you have chosen (or were given) as your default repo.  This will be your default repo unless your user balance is negative in that repo, in which case NIM will set another repo (if you have one) as your temporary default repo.

Where to go to change your default repo:

• Actions pull-down in NIM main menu --> select Change Default MPP Repo

You will see a list of machines (called hosts) for which the default repository can be chaged.  Select the default repo from the pull-down in the Change Base Repo column and select the same repo from every pull-down menu.

Changing Your SRU Project Percents (Charging HPSS Usage to the Correct Account)

The HPSS storage system tracks usage for each user, but it does not know which repositories the user belongs to.  HPSS user usage information is transmitted to NIM once a day.  NIM distributes the user's usage into their repositories using their "SRU project percents".  NIM initially assigns your project percents based on the relative sizes of your storage allocations. 

You can check your project percents in NIM on your Account Usage page.  For most users this is the page that is displayed when you first login to NIM (or select My Account Usage from the My Stuff pull-down in the NIM main menu). Look at the column Proj % for your HPSS repositries.

Where to go to change your SRU project percents:

• Actions pull-down in NIM main menu --> select Change SRU Proj Pct

Updating Your Contact Information

In order to communicate effectively with users and in order to abide by DOE computer use regulations we must have the following information for each user: name, citizenship, email address, work phone number, and work institution (organization). Please keep your personal information current.  This is important so that we can contact you.

How to get here:

• My Stuff pull-down in NIM main menu --> select My Contact Info

Click the Update link at the top left of the Contact Info display and change your contact information as needed.  When done, scroll to the bottom of teh page and click the Submit button.

Project and Repository Information

How to get here:

• Select Repository from pull-down under Quick Search in NIM main menu --> type the repo name in the box --> click Go

The Project display area consists of seven tabs.  You can navigate between tabs by clicking on them.  A NERSC project is associated with its allocation request.  When a project is awarded resources; the awarded amounts are "deposited" into the project's "bank accounts", called repositories or repos at NERSC. 

Project Information Tab

This are shows summary project information, such as the project's PI and PI Proxies, its title, and the DOE Office of Science that sponsors the project.  The project's title is a link to theproject's allocation request.  MPP, Cloud and HPSS resource awards and usage are also summarized.

User Roles & Contact Info Tab

This area lists the project's users and their contact information.  PIs and project managers can change user roles here; see NIM Guide for PIs.

User Status by Repo Tab

This area summarizes the charges per user for each resource they have access to.

MPP Usage & Quotas Tab

This area shows usage and account settings per user for the project's MPP repository.  PIs and project managers can change user quotas here; see NIM Guide for PIs.

This is where you can check the default repository used for your MPP charges (if you don't specify a charge account with the batch -A option).  Look at the columns:

• Dflt Now?: a Y indicates the default repo currently in effect
• Base Repo? a Y indicates that this is the repo you have chosen (or were given) as your default repo. This will be your default repo unless your user balance is negative in that repo, in which case NIM will set another repo (if you have one) as your temporary default repo.

To change your base default repo, select Change Default Repo from the Actions pull-down list in the NIM main menu.  For information on charging to a specific repo see How Usage is Charged.

Cloud Usage & Quotas Tab

This area shows usage and account settings per user for the project's cloud repository.  PIs and project managers can change user quotas here; see NIM Guide for PIs.  For information on cloud charging see How Usage is Charged.

HPSS Usage & Quotas Tab

This area shows usage and account settings per user for the project's HPSS repository.  PIs and project managers can change user quotas here; see NIM Guide for PIs.  For information on HPSS charging see HPSS Charging.

Transfer History

This are provides a record of all deposits and withdrawals made to/from your project's repositories.