Requesting an account¶
Anyone with an active Smithsonian network account can request a Hydra account. The request goes through the SI Service Portal, and we create the account, usually within a few working days.
A Hydra account is separate from your SI, CfA and VPN accounts
We set the username and password ourselves. They are not synchronized with any other SI system, so changing your SI password does not change your Hydra password.
Request the account¶
Submit the HPC Account Request in the SI Service Portal, under the Accounts & Access catalog. The form asks for your name, your unit, your supervisor's name and approval, and a sentence or two on what you plan to run.
When the account is ready you receive an email with your username and a link to set your initial password. The username is normally your SI email name, in lower case.
Request VPN access if you work off site¶
The login nodes accept connections only from the Smithsonian network, the SI VPN, or telework.si.edu. If you will work from outside SI, also submit a VPN account request. Telework needs no extra account and works from anywhere, but it gives you a terminal in a browser rather than a full ssh connection, so most people who work off site want the VPN as well.
When the account is ready¶
Set your password from the link in the welcome email and go to Logging in and passwords. Before you run a job, watch the introduction to Hydra video. We ask this of every new user. It covers the usage policies, which you agree to by using the cluster.
Last updated 2026-10-03