Accessing Advanced Research Computing (ARC) Resources
Register with the Compute Canada Database (CCDB)
To access ARC resources, first register with the Compute Canada Database (CCDB). This is where you’ll manage your account, track usage, and view resource allocations.
PI Registration
PIs must register first, and approval can take up to 2 business days. Once approved, PIs receive a Role Identifier (RI) and can sponsor Group Members (students, research staff, collaborators).
Once registered, PIs can sponsor students, research staff, and collaborators.
Researchers from government, non-profit, and industry sectors may also be eligible to use ARC resources. For eligibility details, please visit the Alliance’s website.
Group Member Registration
Group Members must provide the PI’s RI in their application and have their application confirmed by the PI. Upon approval, both the Group Member and PI will receive a confirmation email.
Approving Group Members
PIs must confirm the details of each Group Member’s application via email or the CCDB homepage. After confirming, the Group Member is approved and notified.
Roles and Resources
Upon registration, you’ll receive a unique Compute Canada Identifier (CCI) (e.g., abc-123). Your role (e.g., PI, student, collaborator) determines your access to resources and permissions within the CCDB.
Your account will be also be associated with a Resource Allocation Project (RAP), which tracks and manages the resources allocated to your group. There are two types of RAPs:
- Default RAP: Automatically created for PIs and their users.
- RAC RAP: Created when a PI applies for resources through the Research Allocation Competition (RAC).
PIs manage RAP membership and permissions, and can assign different access levels to members: “Owner”, “Manager”, and “Member”.
Learn More
Explore the following resources to learn more about the CCDB and accessing ARC resources: