Accounts - Physics accounts

Account basics:
The Physics Department provides affiliates with accounts that give access to all of our services (e-mail, file storage, etc.) as well as our public machines (located in the library and the graduate commons). In addition, we provide direct desktop login and support (on Linux, Macintosh OS X or Windows XP) to administrative staff, emeritus, and 1st and 2nd year graduate students (faculty, post-docs, etc. receive desktop support from FAS).

A Physics user account allows you to log into any of the platforms we provide and receive the same set of folders and settings. So, for instance, logging into a Windows machine in the library you will see the same files on your desktop as when you log into the Macintosh next to it. Your Physics account also gives you access to our printers (click 'Printing & Copying' on the left menu for more info).

An account consists of a username and password for authentication, a home directory for storage of the user's files, an email address username@physics.harvard.edu and a (optional) web site found at http://physics.harvard.edu/~username/.

When logged into a Physics machine, ones home directory will be available as /home/username on Linux and Macintosh OS X, and as the Z: drive on Windows XP. Please note that you effectively have two accounts, each with its own password. A Unix/E-Mail account, and a Windows/Samba account. When changing passwords, you need to change both passwords. We recommend you keep them the same to avoid confusion.

Each home directory is backed up daily onto tape. This is the only directory on any workstation that is backed up. No user files are stored on the local drives of Physics-controlled workstations, these machines only contain and operating system and the program software. This keeps users' data safe and allows us to swap out any defective machine without loss of any user data (this only applies to our machines - you are still responsible for backing up data stored on your own machine). For example, when logged into one of our Windows XP machines, users will find that both the "Desktop" and "My Documents" folders are subdirectories of their home directory and will appear exactly the same when logged on to one of our Windows XP machines in the library.

Each account has a finite disk quota on our file server. To check you quota, please see click here to go to our quota checking tool.

Account expiration:
Physics accounts expire from 30 - 60 days once the person leaves Harvard (graduates, transfers, leaves employment, etc.), up to a maximum of 90 days if we are contacted ahead of time. If you desire an alumni e-mail address, please see http://post.harvard.edu before you leave Harvard.

Physics accounts expire based on the expiration date on ones Harvard ID or when one leaves the department or graduates. A grace period of 60 days is given for graduates so that they may wrap up their affairs in regards to files and email. After 60 days, the account is disabled - 30 days later the account is deleted from our system. Graduates who move into other roles (research, etc.) should notify us immediately so that their account is not flagged for deletion.

Guest Accounts: All accounts must be tied to an active Harvard ID#. We do not offer floating generic guest acounts. We can make exemptions for long-term visitors, but must have endorsement from a faculty member, the director or the chair.

Useful links

Account maintenance
Changing Passwords
Forwarding/Vacation/Password
Request a Physics Account
Check your Mail and Disk quotas
Logging in to Linux
Remote access to files via SSH, SFTP or Windows

For wireless access for your laptop or for wired access to the FAS network for your lab machine: Visit the FAS NOC