User Account Ownership Policy

A user is given a username (also known as a login name) and associated password that permits her/him to access a given NERSC machine or machines. This username/password pair may be used by a single individual only.

Passwords and usernames may not be shared.

NERSC will disable a user who shares any one of her/his usernames with another person. If a person using a username is not the one who is officially registered with NERSC as the owner of that username, then "sharing" has occurred and all usernames associated with the owner of the shared username will be disabled.

If a user is disabled due to account sharing, the PI or an authorized project manager must send a memo to consult@nersc.gov explaining why the sharing occurred and assuring that it will not occur again. NERSC will then determine if the user should be re-enabled.

Valid Usernames

PIs and Project Managers may request a preferred username when adding a new NERSC user to their repository.

Valid usernames are subject to a number of restrictions. Among these are:

1. Usernames must contain no fewer than 3 characters, and no more than 8 characters.
2. Usernames may only contain lower case letters (a-z), digits (0-9), and the underscore character (_).
3. Usernames must begin with a letter.