Research Computing Access Portal (ReCAP)

ReCAP (REsearch Computing Access Portal) is the self-service portal that allows users to request and manage access to research computing facilities provided by the Imperial Research Computing Service (RCS).

ReCAP replaces the old self-service portal (for managing access to the RDS, CX3 and HX1), and is used to manage access to all new systems such as the RDF-Active and HX2.

Research Groups

ReCAP organises access around Research Groups, reflecting the real-world structure in which research is carried out. Rather than managing access on an individual basis, permissions are assigned to research groups and delivered through Allocations.

Allocations

An allocation provides a research group with access to a particular resource, such as an HPC cluster, storage service, or software platform. Members of the research group can then be granted access to the resources allocated to that group, simplifying administration and ensuring access aligns with research activities.

RCS Credits

RCS Credits provide a simple mechanism for pre-paying for services delivered by Research Computing Services (RCS), including storage and compute reservations. Credits are held within Research Groups in ReCAP and can be used to fund allocations to research infrastructure and services. This approach ensures that resource consumption, funding, and access management are aligned within the same organisational structure.

Management

An individual may be a member of multiple Research Groups. Each Research Group has a single designated Lead who is accountable for the group, and may also have one or more Managers who are responsible for the day-to-day administration of memberships, allocations, and access.

Help Documentation

For guidance on using the ReCAP portal, please refer to the ReCAP Help documentation.

• Accessing ReCAP
• Creating a Research Group
• Managing Research Groups
• Managing Allocations
• Managing RCS Credits