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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nyc-ai.app/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

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Who can get an account

CSI HPCC operates on a cost-recovery model, so every account must be linked to a research project or a class. There are seven account types:
TypeWhoRenewal cycle
AFaculty / research staffYearly (start of Fall semester)
BAdjunct facultyEvery semester (Fall / Spring)
CDoctoral graduate studentsYearly (Fall); up to 14 semesters
DMaster’s studentsEvery semester; up to 8 semesters
EUndergraduate students (class only)Every semester; up to 8 semesters
FAcademic collaborators (non-CUNY)Yearly, for the duration of a project
GPublic / private sector partnersNo renewal; tied to contract length
A PI (Principal Investigator) at CUNY is the lead researcher responsible for a project’s design, execution, and financial management. Only full-time faculty or qualified researchers can be PIs. Student (C–E) accounts must be attached to a PI-led project; undergraduate research accounts require a faculty sponsor.

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How the registration flow works

HPCC uses a PI-driven registration system:
1

PI creates a sponsor account

The faculty member fills out form A or B with project title, funding, and duration.
2

PI receives a unique project code

HPCC issues a code that the PI shares with group members.
3

Group members apply using the code

Students, postdocs, and collaborators use forms C, D, E, or F and include the PI’s code.
4

PI assigns members to the project

Once accounts are created, the PI adds them to the correct project in the HPCC portal.

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Request an account

Email HPCHelp@csi.cuny.edu or open a request through the HPCC ticket system with the details below. Use a valid CUNY email only (Gmail, Hotmail, and other public mailers are filtered out).

Identity

Full name as on your CUNY ID, CUNY EID, institutional email, and academic status.

Affiliation

Primary CUNY campus and department. Secondary affiliation (e.g. Graduate Center) if any.

PI / sponsor

Name, department, and college of your PI, plus the project code they received.

Project

Title, short description (up to 100 words), funding source, and relevant publications.

Resources

CPU cores, GPU type and count (V100/16, V100/32, L40/48, A30/24, A40/24, A100/40, A100/80), storage, backup, archive.

Local resources

What computing resources (if any) you already have access to at your home campus.
Once approved you’ll receive a username and a temporary password to reset on first login. PhD students should list their GC email first, then the college email. Master’s and undergraduate students list their college email.
Class accounts (type E) are for coursework only and are capped at 10 GB. They are deleted 30 days after the semester ends unless extended. Instructors should request them at least several weeks before the semester starts. Undergraduates doing research work need a faculty sponsor and must be registered under a legitimate PI-led project.

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Log in

Only two hosts accept connections from outside the CSI network: chizen.csi.cuny.edu and karle.csi.cuny.edu. Everything else must be reached by first logging in through one of those gateways. 
ssh <your_username>@chizen.csi.cuny.edu
From the gateway, SSH into the system you want to use: 
ssh <your_username>@arrow
The login banner (Message of the Day) often carries outage notices, maintenance windows, and policy reminders. Read it every time you log in.

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Logging in from Windows

Windows 10 and 11 ship with OpenSSH. Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and use the same ssh command shown above. If you prefer a GUI:
  • PuTTY: set Host Name to chizen.csi.cuny.edu, port 22, and save the session for reuse.
  • MobaXterm: bundles SSH, SFTP, and an X server, which makes X11 forwarding painless.
  • WinSCP: for drag-and-drop file transfers once you’re connecting successfully over SSH.

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X11 forwarding (running GUI apps)

Some tools (MATLAB, ParaView, xterm) open a graphical window. To forward the display back to your laptop: 
ssh -Y <your_username>@chizen.csi.cuny.edu
ssh -Y arrow
xclock           # quick sanity check: a clock face should appear on your desktop
  • macOS: install XQuartz, then log out and back in before using -Y.
  • Windows: use MobaXterm (X server built in) or install VcXsrv/Xming alongside PuTTY.
  • Linux: X is already running; -Y works out of the box.
Rendering large datasets over X11 is slow. For anything heavier than dialog boxes, prefer batch rendering to an image or copying results back to your laptop.

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Common login problems

Working through this short checklist resolves most login failures:
  • Are you using the correct username?
  • Are you typing the correct password? (Remember: passwords are case-sensitive.)
  • Which system are you trying to connect to? Only Chizen and Karle are reachable from outside the CSI network. For everything else, log into Chizen first and then SSH onward.
  • Do you have access to the system you’re connecting to? Confirm the full hostname (host@csi.cuny.edu).
If SSH ever refuses to connect with a REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED warning, it usually means the gateway was rebuilt after maintenance. Remove the stale key with ssh-keygen -R chizen.csi.cuny.edu and reconnect. If the warning persists, stop and email the helpline; don’t blindly accept a new key.
If you’re still stuck after that, open a ticket or email the helpline. Password authentication works but SSH keys are easier and more secure. Generate a key on your laptop, then install the public half on chizen: 
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your.name@cuny.edu"
ssh-copy-id <your_username>@chizen.csi.cuny.edu
After that, ssh chizen.csi.cuny.edu should not prompt for a password.

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Password policy

Passwords must comply with CUNY’s password policy:
  • At least 8 characters long.
  • Include all four character classes: one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one digit, and one of the approved special characters.
  • Case-sensitive.
Change a password with the passwd command once logged in. If your password has expired, been forgotten, or the account is locked, reset it at hpcauth1.csi.cuny.edu/reset/ using your HPCC username and CUNY email. Email the HPC Helpline if the reset form doesn’t recognize the account.
Password expiration intervals and account renewal cadence are set by CSI IT policy. Confirm current specifics on the HPCC Wiki before training users on them.

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Next steps

Run your first job

End-to-end: log in, load a module, submit a Hello-SLURM job.

Learn the systems

What’s available behind Chizen, including Arrow and other clusters.