SciC Linux CLuster Accessing Local and PAS Groups

Posted on
Updated on

April 1, 2025

 

Partners Authentication System (PAS) groups allow the data owner/lab manager to control who has access to their storage or Adopt-a-Node resource on the ERISTwo Linux cluster.  To administer PAS groups you must have taken the "Keygiver" training.  PAS group support was introduced in 2018; SciC Linux Clusters groups created earlier than this are legacy "local groups" which can be transitioned to PAS groups on request (email hpcsupport@partners.org).

Obtaining a PAS group

Prerequisite Training

Take the "Keygiving - PAS" training if you have not done so already. Please follow the following instructions, using course code IST064 (Keygiving - PAS):

Keygiving - PAS training is required to obtain access to the Personnel Authorization System (PAS) system and become a Keygiver. This training is available as a self-paced course in HealthStream. Here’s how it works:

Search
HealthStream

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Sign in to HealthStream. Go to:



Search for "MGBE PAS & Keygiving Training" in the course catalog.

Complete
the Course

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Once you find the course, click Enroll.

Complete the course and required knowledge check whenever and wherever it’s most convenient for you!

Receive
Access to PAS

Email

PAS access is granted weekly on Thursdays to those who complete the course before Wednesday at 11:59 pm. On Thursday afternoon, students will receive an email confirming their PAS access.

You'll also receive instructions for obtaining Keygiver rights to specific systems and SFAs.

If you have an open ticket for a new SFA, it will be updated to confirm you’ve completed training. As long as both Keygivers listed have PAS access, the SFA will be created. Upon setup, you’ll automatically be made a Keygiver.

Escalation (where to get help)

 

Requesting a PAS group

After completing your training you submit a request for a PAS group either from the link here or by searching for the webform at Digital Service Hub using the search phrase "PAS Permission Group (Request)". 
If you are unable to access the web form then at the Digital Service Hub you will need to search for ITIL and make an "Elevated Access Request" application. ITIL requests are approved automatically and upon recept users should logout and then log back into Digital Service Hub before proceeding to access the "PAS Permission Group (Request)" webform as mentioned above
    • Replace ONLY the BOLD parts
    • In the GALEN GROUP NAME (max 16 chars) entry below, replace INST with your institution code (e.g. MGH or BWH) and PROJECT with a short name for your lab or project.
    • Do NOT replace the ending -ERIS  
    • Do NOT request OKTA/SSO integration, since otherwise the resulting group may not be detected on some cluster nodes.

Description: PAS group to manage ERIS Briefcase 

REQUESTING SITE: All other sites
ASSIGNMENT GROUP: HPC SciC Linux Clusters (or hpc - ERIS)
GALEN NAME: INST-PROJECT-ERIS
REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: Department Name
PRIMARY KEYGIVER: Full Name - PartnersID
SECONDARY KEYGIVER: Full Name - PartnersID
DESCRIPTION: Group to administer access to shared space for INST-PROJECT on the SciC Linux Clusters.

 

Once your PAS group has been provisioned, please see the rest of this page for user management.

Making a request for Storage

After your PAS group is created, visit https://rcservices.partners.org and sign up for "SciC Linux Clusters BriefCASE" storage, providing the PAS group name in the request form.

 

Giving a user access via PAS Group

Permission for Partners Authentication System (PAS) groups is shared by designated key givers through the following steps.

  • On the PAS app, Search for the recipient's username.

  • Select Account, then Edit SFA Authorizations.

  • Find the correct group and click the access being requested, followed by the add button

  • Click Apply and enter credentials to complete the process

A more detailed guide to using the PAS app can be found here

 

Gaining Access to a PAS Group

  • To become a keygiver for a PAS group, you can follow the steps listed here.
  • If you only need read or write access to a PAS group, you can ask a keygiver for these permissions. If you cannot find who the current keygivers for a PAS group are, you can ask via email to hpcsupport@partners.org

 

Local Group Access

Access to local groups can be requested when creating a SciC Linux Account and it will be automatically forwarded to the group admin. Since 2019 all-new groups have used the PAS system to control access instead of local groups.

If you already have an account but not group access send an email with the request to hpcsupport@partners.org and CC your PI or Admin of the group for confirmation.

 

 

FAQ/Help

If you are unable to access group nodes or group file systems within the Scientific Computing (SciC) Linux Clusters, the problem could be that you do not have the correct group permissions. You can check what groups you are a part of by using the command:

$ groups

You can identify a group as a local group if it is all lowercase (ex. eristwo, scicomp, fuse). PAS groups will be all uppercase with dashes separating each part (ex. BWH-RESEARCH).

If you need to request access to a group please find first the type of group that you need access local/PAS and do the following:

Go to KB0039183 in the IS Service Desk