# Accounts

## Overview

The use of the computing and storage services of CSC is based on _user accounts_ and _projects_:

*   **User accounts** are used to authenticate and manage users. Each user should have just one user account at CSC. User accounts are always personal and require Multi-Factor Authentication. It is forbidden to share the credentials of an account with other persons or allow other persons to use the account.

*   **CSC projects** are used to manage access to CSC services and the resources provided by CSC. Access to CSC services like, Puhti, Allas or cPouta 
is granted to CSC projects. The same applies to the Billing Units that are consumed when these services are used.
A CSC project can include one or several CSC user accounts and one user account can be a member in several projects. Each CSC project must have a Project Manager, who creates the project, manages the user accounts and services that belong to the project and is responsible of the resource usage.
The Project Manager is typically a leader of a research team or other senior researcher. See more detailed [project manager prerequisites](https://research.csc.fi/en/prerequisites-for-a-project-manager){:target="_blank"}.

*   **Billing Units** (BUs) are used to allocate resources to users' projects. Projects can have 4 different BU types; **CPU**, **GPU**, **Storage** and **Cloud** and they are consumed as you use our services in your research. You can apply for Billing Units in [MyCSC](https://my.csc.fi) portal and CSC grants BUs to projects. [Usage consumes Billing Units](billing.md) but **no actual payment** is required.

*   **LUMI projects** are used to manage access to LUMI and the resources provided by it. LUMI projects are restricted to LUMI environment only (LUMI-C, LUMI-G etc.). Finnish LUMI projects are fixed in time and resources, and the total resources must be defined already in the project application. LUMI projects are also used for [FiQCI quantum computers](../computing/quantum-computing/access.md). For further information please see [these instructions](https://www.lumi-supercomputer.eu/get-started-2021/users-in-finland/){:target="_blank"}. 

*   **My.csc.fi portal** MyCSC is the self-service CSC customer portal for research and education customers and end-users. MyCSC is also available for any other CSC customer or end-user, if they have CSC user accounts according to the CSCID policies.
MyCSC portal offers users the functionality for registering CSC user accounts, creating computing or data projects, adding members to projects, and applying resources for projects. Users can also manage their projects and project lifecycles through MyCSC, and they can see the resources consumption and amount of stored data there.

*   **FMI user accounts** The Puhti supercomputer has a separate partition for the Finnish Meteorological Institute. FMI users are also allowed to use the general partition of Puhti for normal projects. [See the specific instructions for FMI users](fmi.md).


CSC's services are free of charge for academic research, teaching or training for members of Finnish higher education
institutions and state research institutes.

## Getting access

Instructions to get user account and a project to access CSC's services:

1. [Create a user account](how-to-create-new-user-account.md)
1. [Create](how-to-create-new-project.md) or
   [join a project](how-to-add-members-to-project.md)
1. [Add service access for your project](how-to-add-service-access-for-project.md)
1. [Apply for Billing Units](how-to-apply-for-billing-units.md) or
   [disk quota](how-to-increase-disk-quotas.md), if needed
1. [Renew your password](how-to-change-password.md) annually

Please see a separate set of instructions for [LUMI](https://docs.lumi-supercomputer.eu/firststeps/getstarted/) supercomputer.

All these tasks can be performed in the
[self-service portal MyCSC](https://my.csc.fi).



