OSC Account Setup

The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) provides high-performance computing resources for research and education. This guide will help you get started with OSC access.

Prerequisites

• Active Ohio State University affiliation (student, faculty, or staff)
• Valid OSU name.# (username)
• Participation in an approved OSC project

Getting an OSC Account

Step 1: Check if You Already Have Access

If you're already part of a lab project, your PI may have already added you to their OSC project.

1. Visit my.osc.edu
2. Try logging in with your OSU credentials
3. If successful, skip to Verify Your Access

Step 2: Request Access (If Needed)

If you don't have access yet:

Option A: Join Existing Project (Most Common)

1. Contact your PI or lab manager
2. Provide your OSU username (name.#)
3. They will add you to the lab's OSC project
4. You'll receive an email notification when added

Option B: Request New Project

If your lab doesn't have an OSC project:

1. Visit OSC Project Request
2. Your PI should submit a project request
3. Follow the allocation request process
4. Wait for approval (typically 1-2 business days)

Step 3: Activate Your Account

1. After being added to a project, visit my.osc.edu
2. Log in with your OSU credentials
3. Accept the terms of service
4. Set up two-factor authentication (if prompted)

Verify Your Access

Check Your Projects

1. Log into my.osc.edu
2. Click on "Projects" in the top menu
3. Verify you see your lab's project listed
4. Note your project code (e.g., PAS1234)

PAS1234 is a placeholder

Throughout this documentation, PAS1234 is used as a placeholder project code. Replace it with your actual OSC project code, which you can find at my.osc.edu under your project list.

Check Your Allocations

1. In the my.osc.edu portal, navigate to "Allocations"
2. Verify you have access to computing resources
3. Note which clusters you can access (Pitzer, Owens, etc.)

For cluster specs, GPU types, and partition details, see the Clusters Overview.

To set up SSH keys for password-less login, see the SSH Connection Guide.

Test Your Connection

Try connecting via SSH:

# Replace username with your OSU name.#
ssh username@pitzer.osc.edu

If successful, you should see:

Welcome to the Ohio Supercomputer Center
Pitzer Cluster
...
[username@pitzer-login01 ~]$

Next Steps

Now that you have OSC access:

1. Configure SSH Connection - Set up convenient SSH access
2. Set Up Remote Development - Use VS Code with OSC
3. Learn Job Submission - Submit and manage SLURM jobs

Important Resources

• OSC Documentation: https://www.osc.edu/resources/technical_support/supercomputers
• OSC Help: Email oschelp@osc.edu
• Office Hours: OSC offers walk-in office hours - check their website
• Status Page: https://www.osc.edu/resources/system-status

Troubleshooting

Can't log into my.osc.edu

• Verify you're using your OSU credentials (name.#)
• Try resetting your OSU password
• Contact OSC Help at oschelp@osc.edu

SSH connection refused

• Verify you're on OSU network or VPN
• Check system status: https://www.osc.edu/resources/system-status
• Verify the correct hostname (pitzer.osc.edu, not pitzer.org)

Not listed on any projects

• Contact your PI to be added to the lab project
• Verify with PI that they have an active OSC allocation

Two-factor authentication issues

• Use the Duo Mobile app
• Contact OSU IT if you have 2FA problems

For more help, see the Troubleshooting Guide.