Mission Support, Computational Resources, and Acquisition Protocol
MSI provides a well-managed and integrated software environment comprising software that supports the mission of the Institute, makes best use of advanced computational resources, and meets the academic demands of our users. All MSI software acquisitions will be evaluated subject to the availability of funding and staff time.
Commercial Software
MSI will pursue paid licensing of commercial software that furthers MSI’s mission, when that software:
- makes excellent use of advanced computational resources
- offers licensing terms that benefit MSI users
- offers licensing terms that do not conflict with University of Minnesota policies
- offers cost or other advantages to acquiring a group license rather than individual licenses
- either has widely demonstrated or reasonably projected usage or is required by a funded collaborative project
Non-Commercial Software
MSI will install and manage non-commercial software that furthers MSI’s mission when that software:
- either makes good use of advanced computational resources or significantly enhances other software or workflows that take advantage of those resources
- either has significant demonstrated or potential usage, or benefits significantly from central management
All software at MSI shall be installed on such systems and in such a manner as to maximize its utility to researchers and to take maximum possible advantage of MSI’s advanced computational resources. Secondary to this, software shall be installed so as to provide a consistent and well-integrated user experience